Individualised nutritional treatment increases the positive effects of a novel á la carte hospital food service concept: Results of a quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: One-third of hospitalised patients are at nutritional risk, and limited choice regarding meals and meal times, and inadequate nutritional support may contribute to inadequate nutritional intake during hospitalisation. The aim was to test the effect of a novel á la carte hospital food service concept as a stand-alone intervention and combined with individualised nutritional treatment. METHODS: Medical inpatients at nutritional risk were recruited for this three-arm quasi-experimental study. The control group received meals from the traditional bulk trolley food service system. Intervention group 1 (IG1) received meals from a novel á la carte food service concept with an electronic ordering system, whereas intervention group 2 (IG2) in addition to this received individualised nutritional treatment by a clinical dietitian. Nutritional intake and length of stay was measured, and patient satisfaction was assessed with purpose-designed questionnaires. RESULTS: 206 patients were included: 67 in the control group, 68 in IG1, and 71 in IG2. The proportion of participants reaching ≥75 % of both their energy and protein requirement was higher in IG1 compared to the control group (34 % vs. 12 %, p = 0.002) and higher in IG2 compared to IG1 (53 % vs. 34 %, p = 0.035). Length of stay was shorter in IG2 compared to the control group (6.0 vs. 8.7 days, p = 0.005). It was important to participants to be able to choose when and what to eat, and this preference was met to a larger extent in the intervention groups. CONCLUSION: The novel á la carte concept increases energy and protein intake in hospitalised patients, and the positive effects are increased, when the concept is used in combination with individualised nutritional treatment.

A culinary twist of a two-course meals-on-wheels menu in a cluster-randomized controlled trial influencing health-related quality of life in nursing home residents.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Meals-on-wheels in nursing homes are sensory diminished because of the packaging and reheating of the food, which creates less appetite stimulation and an impaired meal experience for nursing home residents. This background is crucial since nursing home residents are a frail and often malnourished group that is physiologically affected by sensory, physical and mental alterations. The study aimed to increase health-related quality of life in nursing home residents receiving meals-on-wheels using an intervention menu with favourite meals that added a culinary twist and were sensory improved by chefs. METHODS: A double-blinded cluster-randomized controlled trial with two arms, one group receives an intervention menu, and the other group receives a non-optimized menu. The intervention menu included popular meals-on-wheels (a main meal for dinner and a starter/dessert before or after dinner with culinary improvements). The participants received the same meals without culinary improvements in the control group. Health-related quality of life (EQ5D3L) was the primary outcome of the study. Secondary outcomes were mental and nutritional status and muscle strength. The measurements were assessed at a baseline and end visit (12 weeks after baseline visit). RESULTS: Fifty-two nursing home residents were included in the study (There are 20 in the intervention group and 32 in the control group). Following the principle of intention-to-treat, a significant decreasing effect (p-value 0.026) was found between the groups on health-related quality of life. The treated group experienced the largest decrease from the baseline to the end visit. The intervention group had a significant decrease in the second item on Satisfaction With Food-related Life (SWFL2) (I am very pleased with my food). No changes were found either within or between the groups, on the rest of the measured parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing home residents are a target group experiencing natural aggravation, why the health-related quality of life might be difficult to improve using a culinary meal intervention. The decreasing effect of Satisfaction With Food-related Life found in the intervention group could be related to these older adults being too unfamiliar with the culinary twist added to the intervention menu. The study was registered on ClinTrials.gov (Identifier NCT03133364).