title: Fruit and vegetable intake in older hospitalized patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Regular intake of fruit and vegetables (F&Vs) has been widely recommended to improve the health of the population. Observational studies show a preventive effect of long-term consumption of adequate nutrients on cancer, diabetes, dementia and other age-related diseases. However, the short-term impact of F&V intake in more specific populations has been under-researched. In the hospital setting, economic choices and logistic problems result in poor quality of food in general, and particularly in fresh F&Vs. As hospital geriatricians, we set out to address the issue of F&V intake in elderly hospitalized patients, for whom we felt F&Vs might be beneficial in association with a protein and energy-dense diet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the community and in nursing homes, F&V consumption is associated with better overall food intake and improved quality of life in older patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General inspection of the literature suggests that F&Vs may be beneficial to elderly hospitalized patients, but no clinical studies have been conducted. There is a need to address the question of the impact of improved quality and quantity of F&Vs on quality of life, total food intake and constipation, particularly in hospitalized elderly patients who often stay in hospital for long periods. Positive results might help to promote F&V consumption in diverse populations, with the objective of improving eating pleasure for better health.
authors: Service de Gériatrie, Hôpital Bichat-Claude-Bernard, Paris, France.
authors: Agathe
authors: A
authors: Raynaud-Simon
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Aussel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005521:Food Service, Hospital; D005638:Fruit; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011788:Quality of Life; D014675:Vegetables