Food Intake in Older Patients (Version 1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Food Intake and Preferences in Older Patients during Hospitalisation
IRAS ID
182271
Contact name
Roba Naaman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Glasgow
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Unintentional weight loss and undernutrition are well described problems in elderly inpatients, occurring in around 23% to 62% of hospitalised elderly in developed countries. Not only are a large number of elderly patients undernourished at admission but a substantial proportion of them will lose weight and become malnourished during their hospital stay. Weight loss and undernutrition are associated with increased risk of morbidity, mortality, poor clinical outcomes and prolonged length of hospital stay. However, as it is frequently impossible to correct undernutrition prior to hospital admission, every effort should be made to prevent weight loss and correct undernutrition during hospitalization. Therefore, screening and identification of predictors of patients at risk of weight loss and undernutrition at admission, and identification of modifiable factors (e.g. eating preferences and poor food hospital intake), where we could intervene to correct or prevent undernutrition, are important aspects in the management of these patients.
Before we design a food intervention study we first need to:
a)To describe hospital food intake, eating habits and preferences in elderly inpatients during hospitalization, where we could intervene within a future intervention study
b)To describe predictors of hospital food intake in elderly during hospitalisation.
c)To compare energy and protein intake in elderly inpatients during hospitalisation. with the UK Dietary Reference Values (DRVs)This study is a hospital based observational study. Eligible participants will be 125 patients (aged ≥ 65 years old) admitted to the geriatric wards of the South Glasgow University Hospital, Glasgow and the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley.
Eligible participants will be seen 96 hours after admission in order to explain the study process and to obtain written consent. The researcher will take basic body size measurements and will ask the patient questions about living conditions, feelings, memory, health, eating habits, opinions about the hospital food service. Nursing staff will be asked about patient’s functional activity. The researcher will also take pictures of patient’s main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) on a single day, prior to and after eating. The researcher will meet each patient three times in total. The first time will be 4 days after admission, a second time during the hospital stay and a final one around the time of discharge to repeat some measurements including weight, BMI, skinfold, MUAC, grip strength and calf circumference.REC name
Scotland A: Adults with Incapacity only
REC reference
15/SS/0124
Date of REC Opinion
21 Aug 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion