Background: Balanced nutrition is an essential component to successful aging and quality of life through maintenance of physical health, mental functioning, and social engagement. The importance of nutrition is more pronounced in economically vulnerable seniors. The purpose of the study was to determine the level of nutritional risk and examine factors significant to the nutritional risk status of low-income senior meal program participants.

Methods: Data came from 1,750 participants (843 men, 893 women) aged 60+, served by senior meal programs in San Diego County using Nutrition Screening Initiative tool (Determine Checklist).

Results:The current study showed that 22% were at moderate risk in malnutrition and 67% higher risk, while only 11% had a good status in malnutrition risk. Those with the highest nutritional risk included Hispanics African-Americans and those with an income at or below 100% of the FPL  Married participants had the lowest nutritional risk compared to other marital statuses  Widowed females, aged 80 years or above needed more assistance on meal preparation or cleanup and shopping or errands  Home delivered meal participants had higher nutritional risk than congregate meal participants

Conclusions: Raising awareness of nutritional status should initiate steps toward improving the health of seniors in meal programs. Education and outreach strategies appropriate for these groups should be considered. Further efforts are warranted to ameliorate the nutritional status of vulnerable seniors.

elderly nutrition, nutrition screening initiative, senior meal program, nutritional risk, low income.