Evaluation of nutritional status and its relationship with functional status in older citizens with diabetes mellitus using the mini nutritional assessment (MNA) tool--a preliminary investigation.

Community dwelling elderly subjects with diabetes may be at risk of malnutrition when compared with non-diabetic citizens. There is probably a causal relationship between malnutrition and functional decline in this group. Further research is needed, where the prevalence of malnutrition is higher, to fully evaluate the MNA in people with diabetes.