Home-delivered between-meal snacks for fragile older adults – A pilot study
Background: Fragile home-dwelling older adults are at risk of undernutrition despite receiving meal delivery services. Weight loss is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. To promote healthy aging, home-delivered between-meal snacks (BMS) were tested in a region of Denmark. Methods: A q...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Aging and Health Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667032123000239 |
| _version_ | 1827923773366468608 |
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| author | Tone E. Bernchou Lena B. Rasmussen Pia Gaarde Kirsten Færgeman Barbara Voltelen Palle Larsen |
| author_facet | Tone E. Bernchou Lena B. Rasmussen Pia Gaarde Kirsten Færgeman Barbara Voltelen Palle Larsen |
| author_sort | Tone E. Bernchou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Fragile home-dwelling older adults are at risk of undernutrition despite receiving meal delivery services. Weight loss is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. To promote healthy aging, home-delivered between-meal snacks (BMS) were tested in a region of Denmark. Methods: A quasi-experiment was set up with an intervention group (n=39, mean age 85.3) and a control group (n=32, mean age 80.8). The intervention group received BMS for 18 weeks corresponding to a weekly intake of 5600-9600 kJ and 40-112 g protein. The following outcomes were evaluated: weight, body mass index (BMI), body composition, and handgrip strength. Results: The intervention group had increased weight (mean ±SD) of 0.88 ±2.96 kg and fat mass of 1.56 ±2.55 kg but reduced muscle mass of 0.14 ±1.09 kg resulting in an increased BMI of 0.35 ±1.22 kg/m2. For comparison, the results of the control group were as follows: 0.29 ±2.56 kg, 0.27 ±3.65 kg, -0.04 ±1.76 kg, and 0.12 ±0.44 kg/m2. The between-group mean differences were not statistically significant. The intervention group had an increased right handgrip strength of 1.40 ±5.27 kg, while a decrease of 1.41 ±3.27 kg was observed for the control group resulting in a statistically significant between-group mean difference. Conclusion: This study suggests that BMS may reduce the risk of undernutrition and improve the functional status among fragile home-dwelling older adults, although the effect is minor. Nevertheless, the frequency of unplanned weight loss was lower within the intervention group even though the group constituted a more fragile population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T05:00:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9c0e7b04e1c54b8ab91051ac742ded73 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2667-0321 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T05:00:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aging and Health Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-9c0e7b04e1c54b8ab91051ac742ded732023-06-17T05:21:37ZengElsevierAging and Health Research2667-03212023-06-0132100139Home-delivered between-meal snacks for fragile older adults – A pilot studyTone E. Bernchou0Lena B. Rasmussen1Pia Gaarde2Kirsten Færgeman3Barbara Voltelen4Palle Larsen5Faculty of Health Sciences, UCL University College, Niels Bohrs Allé 1, Odense 5230, Denmark; Corresponding author.Faculty of Health Sciences, UCL University College, Niels Bohrs Allé 1, Odense 5230, DenmarkFaculty of Health Sciences, UCL University College, Niels Bohrs Allé 1, Odense 5230, DenmarkElbokøkkenet (Until 31.10.19), Tingvejen 31, Fredericia 7000, DenmarkFaculty of Health Sciences, UCL University College, Niels Bohrs Allé 1, Odense 5230, DenmarkFaculty of Health Sciences, UCL University College, Niels Bohrs Allé 1, Odense 5230, DenmarkBackground: Fragile home-dwelling older adults are at risk of undernutrition despite receiving meal delivery services. Weight loss is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. To promote healthy aging, home-delivered between-meal snacks (BMS) were tested in a region of Denmark. Methods: A quasi-experiment was set up with an intervention group (n=39, mean age 85.3) and a control group (n=32, mean age 80.8). The intervention group received BMS for 18 weeks corresponding to a weekly intake of 5600-9600 kJ and 40-112 g protein. The following outcomes were evaluated: weight, body mass index (BMI), body composition, and handgrip strength. Results: The intervention group had increased weight (mean ±SD) of 0.88 ±2.96 kg and fat mass of 1.56 ±2.55 kg but reduced muscle mass of 0.14 ±1.09 kg resulting in an increased BMI of 0.35 ±1.22 kg/m2. For comparison, the results of the control group were as follows: 0.29 ±2.56 kg, 0.27 ±3.65 kg, -0.04 ±1.76 kg, and 0.12 ±0.44 kg/m2. The between-group mean differences were not statistically significant. The intervention group had an increased right handgrip strength of 1.40 ±5.27 kg, while a decrease of 1.41 ±3.27 kg was observed for the control group resulting in a statistically significant between-group mean difference. Conclusion: This study suggests that BMS may reduce the risk of undernutrition and improve the functional status among fragile home-dwelling older adults, although the effect is minor. Nevertheless, the frequency of unplanned weight loss was lower within the intervention group even though the group constituted a more fragile population.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667032123000239Home-dwelling older adultsUndernutritionFrailtyMeal serviceSnacks |
| spellingShingle | Tone E. Bernchou Lena B. Rasmussen Pia Gaarde Kirsten Færgeman Barbara Voltelen Palle Larsen Home-delivered between-meal snacks for fragile older adults – A pilot study Aging and Health Research Home-dwelling older adults Undernutrition Frailty Meal service Snacks |
| title | Home-delivered between-meal snacks for fragile older adults – A pilot study |
| title_full | Home-delivered between-meal snacks for fragile older adults – A pilot study |
| title_fullStr | Home-delivered between-meal snacks for fragile older adults – A pilot study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Home-delivered between-meal snacks for fragile older adults – A pilot study |
| title_short | Home-delivered between-meal snacks for fragile older adults – A pilot study |
| title_sort | home delivered between meal snacks for fragile older adults a pilot study |
| topic | Home-dwelling older adults Undernutrition Frailty Meal service Snacks |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667032123000239 |
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