Energy and Nutrient Content of Food Served and Consumed by Nursing Home Residents

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare energy and protein content of the served food with the actual intake from the food consumed by nursing home residents. This study also aimed to compare food intake and dietary allowances.

Design: This is a cross sectional study.

Setting: This study was performed in nursing homes.

Participants: Residents of these 2 nursing homes were eligible for the study if they agreed to participate and if they meet the selection criteria (to be older than 65 years and have a regular texture diet).

Measurement: Nutrient content of the served food and real food consumption was calculated for all meals during a 5-day period by precise weighting method. Difference between consumed and served dietary content was evaluated by the Chi² test.

Results: Seventy-four Belgian nursing home residents (75% of women, 85.8 ± 7.04 years on average) were included in this study. These subjects had a mean body mass index of 24.9 ± 4.83 kg/m². The mean energy content of the served food was 1783.3 ± 125.7 kcal per day. However, residents did not eat the whole of the meals and the actual energy content of the consumed food was significantly less (1552.4 ± 342.1 kcal per day; p<.001). The average protein content of the food served was equal to 0.96 ± 0.20 g/kg/day and the average consumption of protein by the residents was 0.88 ± 0.25 g/kg/day. The difference between protein served and consumed was also significant (p=.04). Moreover, people considered as well nourished, eating significantly more energy than the others (p=.04).

Conclusion: Meals served in nursing homes are not entirely consumed by their residents. As expected, the energy consumed are lower in subjects considered as malnourished or at risk of malnutrition.

Keywords: Weighing food; food consumption; food intake; nursing homes.