Early nutritional supplementation immediately after diagnosis of infectious disease improves body weight in psychogeriatric nursing home residents.
OBJECTIVE
Many elderly people with Alzheimer's disease experience weight loss. Illness and inadequate regain after a period of illness are considered as contributory causes of progressive weight loss in psychogeriatric patients. We studied whether early use of a liquid nutrition supplement immediately after onset of acute illness from infection can prevent weight loss in elderly psychogeriatric nursing home residents.


METHODS
Randomised controlled trial of 5 weeks after the onset of illness. Thirty-four psychogeriatric nursing home residents (aged > or =65 yrs) completed the study period. A liquid nutrition supplement (200 ml) once daily immediately after diagnosis of infection or standard treatment (enriched food after referral to a dietician) were provided. Body weight, mid-upper arm circumference, calf circumference, triceps skin fold thickness, dietary energy intake, and need for care were measured.


RESULTS
Weight change during the study period was significantly different between the standard (-0.4 kg) and supplement (+0.8 kg) groups (p = 0.040). No significant differences were observed in changes of mid-upper arm circumference, triceps skin fold thickness, calf circumference or energy intake between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Early provision of a liquid nutrition supplement immediately after onset of acute illness from infection leads to weight gain in elderly psychogeriatric nursing home residents.
Wouters-Wesseling
Wendeline
W
IDepartment of Clinical Nutrition Research, Numico Research, Wageningen, ageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Wendeline.Wouters@dmv-ny.com
Slump
Erika
E
Kleijer
Chantal N
CN
de Groot
Lisette C P G M
LC
van Staveren
Wija A
WA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001835:Body Weight; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005526:Food, Formulated; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015430:Weight Gain