Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42249281›Full record

ArticleBMC geriatrics2026

Association between geriatric malnutrition and the risk of dementia: a retrospective cross-sectional cohort study in Uganda.

Odong Christopher, Ayenyo Winfred, Zhang Wanzhu, John Wanyama, Ebrima Bah, Anywar Geofrey, Edward Mpoza, Mical Abraha, Kuule Julius Kabbali

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Odong Christopher *Department of Internal Medicine, Mulago National Specialist Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. odong.chris2@yahoo.com.
Ayenyo Winfred *Department of Internal Medicine, Mulago National Specialist Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. ayenyowinfred@gmail.com.
Zhang WanzhuDepartment of Adult Cardiology, Uganda Heart Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
John WanyamaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, China-Uganda Friendship Hospital, Kampala, Uganda.
Ebrima BahDepartment of Adult Cardiology, Uganda Heart Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
Anywar GeofreyDepartment of Geriatric Medicine, The Geriatric Centre, Kampala, Uganda.
Edward MpozaDepartment of Geriatric Medicine, The Surgery, Kampala, Uganda.
Mical AbrahaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Mulago National Specialist Hospital, Kampala, Uganda.
Kuule Julius KabbaliDepartment of Internal Medicine, China-Uganda Friendship Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. jkkuule2000@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLimited data exist from low-income settings on the association between unintentional geriatric malnutrition and the risk of dementia. Our study investigated this association and stratified risk factors in geriatric cohort from Uganda.

methodThis multicentre retrospective cross-sectional cohort study enrolled geriatric patients from specialist care hospital in one Public and two private facilities in Kampala. Nutritional status was stratified as malnourished or well-nourished. The primary outcome was dementia. Logistic regression evaluated the association between malnutrition and dementia. Separate models explored dementia risk factors within each nutritional subgroup.

resultsOverall, 210 participants(mean age 75.72 ± 7.93yrs) were recruited. The prevalence of malnutrition was 25%, with 30 of 129 females (23.3%) and 23 of 81 males(28.4%) being affected. Among malnourished participants, 37(29.1%) had a caregiver. Malnutrition was significantly associated with dementia(adjusted odds ratio[OR], 2.57; 95% CI, 1.01-6.55; P = 0.048). Stratified analysis revealed divergent risk profiles. Among malnourished patients, history of cardiovascular disease(CVD) was associated with dementia(odds ratio[OR], 5.80; 95% CI, 1.25-16.90; β = + 1.76; P = 0.025). Among well-nourished patients, only increasing age was independently associated with dementia(OR, 1.07 per year; 95% CI, 1.01-1.14; β = + 0.07; P = 0.016).

conclusionsIn this study, unintentional malnutrition was associated with dementia. Among malnourished individuals, CVD was the major associated factor, whereas age was the major factor among well-nourished participants. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and determine whether improving nutritional status may prevent or slow dementia progression.

Indexed as

DementiaGeriatric AssessmentMalnutritionAgedAged, 80 and overCohort StudiesCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleNutritional StatusRetrospective StudiesRisk FactorsUgandaDementiaGeriatricLow-income countriesMalnutritionRisk factorUganda

Identifiers

PMID42249281
PMCPMC13459386

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.