title: A 24-h a la carte food service as support for patients at nutritional risk: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Undernutrition and insufficient energy and protein intake is a common problem in hospitalised patients. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether a novel hospital menu would be an effective strategy for increasing nutritional intake in patients at nutritional risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  A historically controlled intervention pilot study was conducted. Forty patients at nutritional risk were offered a novel hospital menu as a supplement to the ordinary hospital menu. The menu consisted of 36 naturally energy-enriched small dishes served on demand 24 h a day. Energy and protein intake were calculated as the mean over a period of 3 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference in energy and protein intake was observed between the groups; however, a significant (P = 0.001) time gradient in total energy intake was observed in the intervention group. Moreover, a significant (P = 0.03) time gradient in energy intake received from the novel menu was observed. The dishes from the novel menu were mainly ordered from 11.00 h to 14.00 h and from 17.00 h to 18.00 h.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No overall significant differences in energy and protein intake between the groups were found. However, the present pilot study revealed a significant time gradient in total energy intake (P = 0.001) and in energy intake from the novel menu (P = 0.03). This indicates the need to include a run-in period when investigating novel hospital menus as a support for patients at nutritional risk. Additionally, food service, available 24 h a day, appears to be unnecessary.
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Research Unit, EFFECT, Herlev University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. tina.munk@regionh.dk
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Munk
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Seidelin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rosenbom
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Klausen
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thomsen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005521:Food Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins