目標：探討台灣老人營養狀況與認知功能的關聯，及營養狀況對隨後認知衰退的影響。方法：分析「台灣中老年身心社會生活狀況長期追蹤調查」，1999年以結構式問卷面訪2,890位≥65歲個案的資料。以「簡易營養評估」(Mini Nutritional Assessment, MNA)評定個案於基準點的營養狀況及以「簡易心智狀態量表」(Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, SPMSQ)評估個案的認知功能。在控制人口學、社經、生活方式及健康等變項的狀況下，以邏輯斯迴歸分析1999年2,672個案(2,890去除218資料不全者)的營養狀況與認知功能的橫斷關聯，及與四年後這些個案認知衰退的關聯。結果：在控制上述變項狀況下，橫斷分析顯示營養狀況與認知功能呈顯著關聯(OR=2.07, 95% CI=1.57-2.75, p<0.001)；縱貫分析顯示，基準點營養不足(MNA score≤ 23.5分)者，其四年後認知衰退風險比營養良好者高0.43倍 (1.43, 1.01-2.04, p=0.049)。結論：結果顯示營養狀況與當前的認知功能呈顯著關聯，亦可影響隨後的認知衰退風險。老年人應重視日常營養以減低認知功能衰退的風險。「簡易營養評估」除評估營養狀況，也兼具評估老人當前與未來長期認知狀況的功能。

Objectives: To investigate the association of nutritional status and cognitive status and to identify a possible causal role of nutritional status in the future risk of cognitive decline in older Taiwanese. Methods: The study analyzed the 1999 and 2003 datasets of the “Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan”. Subjects were interviewed, face-to-face, with a structured questionnaire. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) was used to rate nutritional status and the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) was used to rate cognitive status. This cross-sectional study included 2,672 elderly at baseline while the longitudinal analysis included the 1895 subjects who survived in 2003, less those who had severe cognitive impairment at baseline and those who failed to complete the 2003 interview. Both models controlled for socio-demographic factors, lifestyle, food intake, and health and medical conditions. Results: In regression models that controlled for possible confounders, cross-sectional analysis showed a significant association between nutritional status and cognitive status (OR=2.07, 95% CI=1.57-2.75, p<0.001); whereas the longitudinal analysis showed that poor nutrition was associated with a 43% increase (1.43, 1.01-2.04, p=0.049) in cognitive decline four years later. Conclusions: Results suggest that nutritional status can affect subsequent cognitive function. It is therefore important for the elderly to pay greater attention to their nutritional status in order to reduce the risk of the age-related cognitive decline. The MNA can predict functional decline as well as rate the nutritional status of the elderly.