Relationship between body mass index, balance, ortostatic hypotensionand risk of fallingin elderly

Background: One of the health problem related to aging includes fall that can cause an increase in morbidity and limitation in activities. Other factors that affect falls includes nutritional status, balance and hemodynamic disturbances.Methods: observational analytic study with cross-sectional study design. The independent variable was risk of falling in the elderly and the dependent variable was body mass index (BMI), balance and orthostatic hypotension. The instruments used in this study were Morse Fall Scaleto assessrisk of falling, Body mass index (BMI) to assess nutritional status, and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), a series of tests were used to assess balance in the elderly. An orthostatic hypotension was measured using sphygmomanometer.Results: Most of the elderly 32 (68.1%) had a normoweight. A total of 31 elderly had moderate body balance score, and 39 (89%) of elderly had an orthostatic hypotension. The number of elderly withlow risk of falling was 30 (63.8%). There was no relationship between BMI and and the risk of falling (p=0.064). There was a relationship between body balance and the risk of falling in the elderly Pucang Gading Nursing HomeSemarang (p<0.05, r=-0.497). There was no relationship between orthostatic hypotension and the risk of falls (p=0.974).Conclusion: There is no relationship between BMI, orthostatic hypotension and the risk of falling. There is a relationship between balance and risk of fallingin the elderlyInternational Journal of Human and Health Sciences Vol. 04 No. 02 April’20 Page : 114-119