Obesity and its associated factors in older nursing home residents in three European countries—Secondary data analyses from the “International Prevalence Measurement of Care Quality”

Background: The prevalence of obesity has risen in recent decades and reached epidemic proportions worldwide. The proportion of those living with obesity is also increasing in nursing homes. This could impact the nursing care required, equipment and facilities provided, and morbidity in these settings. Limited evidence exists on clinical consequences of obesity in nursing home residents and their care. Objective: Therefore, the aim was to examine the rate and associated factors of obesity (BMI ≥30; class I (BMI 30.0–34.9 kg/m2), class II (BMI 35.0–39.9 kg/m2), and class III (BMI >40.0 kg/m2)) amongst older nursing home residents in European countries. Methods: We analysed data from 21,836 people who reside in nursing homes in Austria, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. They participated in the “International Prevalence Measurement of Care Quality”, a cross sectional study between 2016 and 2019, where trained nurses interviewed the residents, reviewed care records, and conducted clinical examinations. A tested and standardised questionnaire comprised questions on demographic data, measured BMI, medical diagnosis according to ICD‐10, and care dependency. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: Obesity rates were highest in Austria (17.1%) and lowest in the UK (13.0%) (p = .006). Residents with obesity were younger and less likely to be care dependent or living with dementia and had more often diabetes mellitus, endocrine, metabolic, and skin diseases compared to residents without obesity (p < .05). Most obese residents had obesity class I. Therefore, two subgroups were built (class I vs. class II + III). Residents with obesity class II + III were more frequently care dependent for mobility, getting dressed and undressed, and personal hygiene compared to residents with class I (p < .05). Conclusions: This study identified several factors that are associated with obesity amongst older nursing home residents in selected European countries. Implications for practice: The division into obesity classes is important for planning targeted care according to the individual needs of nursing home residents