Research Article: Maintenance hemodialysis patients’ nutritional literacy and its relationship with frailty: a cross-sectional study based on latent profile analysis
Abstract:
Malnutrition is a common complication among maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Although the association between nutritional literacy and frailty is well established, prior research has largely focused on individual risk factors or relied solely on total scores from nutrition-related scales, thereby overlooking heterogeneity within patient groups. As a result, the specific relationship between distinct patterns of nutritional literacy and frailty remains unclear.
To identify distinct nutritional literacy profiles among MHD patients, examine sociodemographic differences across these profiles, and assess their association with frailty.
Between May and September 2024, we recruited a convenience sample of 335 MHD patients from the Department of Nephrology at a tertiary Grade A hospital in Deyang, Sichuan Province. Participants completed questionnaires on demographic characteristics, frailty (assessed using the Tilburg Frailty Indicator [TFI]), and nutritional literacy (measured by the Nutrition Literacy Assessment Questionnaire for Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients [NLAQ-MHD]). Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct nutritional literacy profiles. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models examined associations between profile membership and sociodemographic variables. Differences in frailty across profiles were evaluated using analysis of variance.
Latent profile analysis revealed three distinct nutritional literacy profiles among MHD patients: low nutritional literacy (26.9%), moderate nutritional literacy (59.4%), and high nutritional literacy (13.7%). Multivariable logistic regression showed that education level and Per capita monthly household income were significant predictors of profile membership ( p <?0.05). Frailty levels differed significantly across the three nutritional literacy profiles.
This study offers new insights into the heterogeneity of nutritional literacy among MHD patients and demonstrates that lower nutritional literacy is associated with greater frailty. These findings not only advance knowledge for future research but also provide a basis for developing targeted frailty intervention strategies in this population.
Introduction:
Malnutrition is a common complication among maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Although the association between nutritional literacy and frailty is well established, prior research has largely focused on individual risk factors or relied solely on total scores from nutrition-related scales, thereby overlooking heterogeneity within patient groups. As a result, the specific relationship between distinct patterns of nutritional literacy and frailty remains unclear.
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