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. 2021 Jan 27;10(1):24-35.
doi: 10.7762/cnr.2021.10.1.24. eCollection 2021 Jan.

Evaluation of Oral Nutritional Supplementation in the Management of Frailty among the Elderly at Facilities of Community Care for the Elderly

Woori Na  1 , Jiyu Kim  1 , Hyeji Kim  1 , Yeji Lee  1 , BongHee Jeong  1 , Sung Pyo Lee  2 , Cheongmin Sohn  1
Affiliations

Evaluation of Oral Nutritional Supplementation in the Management of Frailty among the Elderly at Facilities of Community Care for the Elderly

Woori Na et al. Clin Nutr Res. .

Abstract

Adequate nutritional intake in elderly individuals improves frailty. Elderly individuals may exhibit improvements in frailty with the use of community care facilities. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of nutritional intervention in elderly subjects at community care facilities receiving oral nutritional supplements (ONSs) and determined their nutritional status. Sixty-two elderly individuals using community care facilities were divided into the experimental group (EG) (before [n = 31]/after [n = 28]) and control group (CG) (before [n = 31]/after [n = 25]). Subjects in both groups were treated with ONSs (200 mL/200 kcal) for 90 days. However, those in the EG received the product with increased protein; vitamins A, C, D, and E; phosphorus; calcium; and zinc. The data collected included anthropometric data, dietary assessment findings, frailty status (Korean version of the Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses, and Loss of weight questionnaire), and nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment, MNA). The changes in the two groups were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Nutritional intervention increased the weight, body mass index, and lean body mass in the EG (p < 0.05). Protein, calcium, and iron levels increased only in the EG (p < 0.05). The MNA score increased and sum of frailty indicators improved in the EG, and the increase in the MNA score in the EG was greater than that in the CG. This study verified the improved anthropometric data and dietary intake in the EG. Thus, the higher number of pre-frailty elderly individuals at facilities of community care indicates the need for adequate nutritional supplementation for frailty management.

Keywords: Frailty; Nutritional status; Nutritional support; Randomized controlled trial.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Flow diagram of subject selection.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Nutrient composition of the supplementation.
*Indicated value means nutrients of different amount content in the 2 products.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Comparison of improvement levels through frail parameter after nutrition intervention. The bars and digits indicate that the level of sum of frail parameter score. Changes of improvement levels though sum of frail parameter before and after the nutrition intervention were compared between control group and experimental group.
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