Background and objectives: To evaluate the effect of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) on community elderly people with malnutrition or risk of malnutrition.
Methods and study design: A single arm intervention trial for 3 months was conducted. Whole nutrient powder was given to all the participants. Dietary intakes were measured by 3-day diet record. Nutritional status was evaluated using body weight, body mass index (BMI), calf circumference (CC), and Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF) scores. Muscle mass was measured by bioimpedance analysis (BIA). All these parameters as well as muscle strength, physical function, and quality of life were measured at both the baseline and the end.
Results: Compared with the baseline, ONS increased protein intake (58.32±16.67 vs 41.90±18.49 g/d, p<0.001), body weight (57.03±8.31 vs 56.68±8.23 kg, p<0.05), BMI (22.16±2.13 vs 22.02±2.08 kg/m2, p<0.05), CC (34.21±2.53 vs 33.80±2.53 cm, p<0.001), MNA-SF scores (12.61±1.43 vs 10.48±0.99, p<0.05), hand grip strength (24.54±8.05 vs 23.27±7.74 kg, p<0.001), and 6-m gait speed (1.11±0.33 vs 0.96±0.28 m/s, p<0.001). Moreover, SF-36 scores of the overall subjects have been improved in all dimensions (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The study demonstrated that ONS can effectively increase protein intake and improve nutritional status, muscle strength, physical function and quality of life of the elderly with malnutrition or malnutrition risk in communities.