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  • Original Article
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Effect of a nutrient-enriched drink on dietary intake and nutritional status in institutionalised elderly

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 63, pages 1241–1250 (2009)Cite this article

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 07 October 2009

Abstract

Objective:

(1) To determine whether nutritional supplementation (energy and micronutrients) in institutionalised elderly has a positive effect on dietary intake and nutritional status. (2) To investigate whether individuals tend to compensate for the energy content of the intervention product by decreasing their habitual food consumption.

Methods:

A 24-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, intervention trial in homes for the elderly (n=3), in nursing homes (n=3) and ‘mixed’ homes (n=3) in The Netherlands. Institutionalised elderly people (n=176) older than 60 years of age, with a body mass index ⩽30 kg/m2 and a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 10 points or higher, randomly received a nutrient-enriched drink or a placebo drink twice a day during 24 weeks in addition to their usual diet. Allocation to treatment took into account of sex, the Mini-Mental State Examination score and the plasma homocysteine level. Body weight and several nutrition-related analyses in fasting blood samples were measured in all participants. Data on dietary intake were collected in a subsample (n=66).

Results:

A significantly favourable effect (P<0.001) of the intervention drink was observed on vitamin intake, mineral intake and vitamin status in blood (for example, homocysteine decreased from 14.7 to 9.5 μmol/l in the intervention group as compared with that in the placebo group (17.2–15.9)). The difference in change in total energy intake between the two treatment groups was 0.8 MJ/day (P=0.166). Energy intake from food decreased in both groups to the same extent (−0.5 MJ/day). Therefore, this decrease cannot be considered as compensation for the energy content of the product.

Conclusions:

This group of institutionalised elderly people does not compensate for the energy content of a concentrated nutritional supplement. Therefore, this supplement is effective for counteracting the development of malnutrition in this population.

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to Marije Brouwer, Emmelyne Vasse, Hetty Essink, Joyce Mureau, Carla Dullemeijer and Margriet Veldhorst and study dieticians of the Division of Human Nutrition of Wageningen University, The Netherlands for their assistance during the data collection phase; to the participants and their relatives, as well as to the management and the nursing staff teams of the participating homes for the elderly and nursing homes for their cooperation and involvement in data collection; to Diagnostic Centre Eindhoven, The Netherlands and the Division of Human Nutrition of Wageningen University, The Netherlands for collecting blood samples. This study was sponsored by ZonMW, Den Haag, The Netherlands. Further, financial support was obtained from Numico Research BV, Wageningen, The Netherlands, Nutricia Nederland BV, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands and Zilveren Kruis Achmea, Noordwijk, The Netherlands.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    M Manders, C P G M de Groot, Y H Blauw, R A M Dhonukshe-Rutten, E Siebelink & W A van Staveren

  2. Valkenhof, Valkenswaard, The Netherlands

    L van Hoeckel-Prüst

  3. Numico Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    J G Bindels

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  1. M Manders
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Correspondence to R A M Dhonukshe-Rutten.

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Guarantor: CPGM de Groot. Contributors: All authors participated in designing the study. MM was the principal investigator and was responsible for data analysis. All authors contributed to interpretation of data and critically reviewed the contents of the paper.

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Manders, M., de Groot, C., Blauw, Y. et al. Effect of a nutrient-enriched drink on dietary intake and nutritional status in institutionalised elderly. Eur J Clin Nutr 63, 1241–1250 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2009.28

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