[Assessment of the acceptability and consumption of a nutritional supplementation program for the elderly in Chile].
BACKGROUND
During 2005, the Chilean Ministry of Health included a fortified milk beverage to the Elderly Food Supplementation Program, to improve the compliance with the program and to increase the provision of micronutrients. This beverage was added to a soup that was distributed since 1999.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the long term acceptability, tolerance and consumption of the Milk Beverage and analyze the nutritional contribution of the products provided by the supplementation program to the usual diet of the elderly.


METHODS
One hundred twenty five elderly subjects, aged 77 +/- 4 (52 males) living in Metropolitan Santiago, aged over 70 years, beneficiaries of the food supplementation program, were interviewed. The acceptability, consumption and tolerance of the Milk Beverage were evaluated by specially designed surveys. The contribution of the food supplementation products to daily nutrient intake was also analyzed by 24 hours dietary recalls.


RESULTS
The mean body mass index of the interviewed elderly subjects was 27.0 +/-4.5 Kg/m(2). Monthly delivery of the products included in the program increased significantly after the incorporation of the Milk Beverage to the program. The milk beverage had a significantly higher daily consumption and a lower family dilution than the soup. The consumption of supplementation products increased significantly the daily intake of energy and most micronutrients. Noteworthy was the case for vitamin B12, C, E and zinc, whose intake doubled (p <0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The Milk Beverage had an excellent approval and consumption rate. The consumption of food supplementation products improved daily intake of most nutrients in elderly subjects.
Masi
Celia
C
Departamento de Nutrición, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Atalah
Eduardo
E