Nutritional effects of supplementing liquid-formula diet with dietary fiber on elderly bed-ridden patients

Tohoku J Exp Med. 2004 May;203(1):9-16. doi: 10.1620/tjem.203.9.

Abstract

In the past few decades, the number of bed-ridden elderly patients has been increasing. This group of patients is frequently fed with a liquid formula diet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a liquid formula diet containing dietary fiber (DF) for elderly bed-ridden patients. Eighteen elderly, bed-ridden patients were given L-3 Fiber, a DF-containing liquid formula diet (DF-LFD), for 4 weeks, while a number of parameters were monitored, including serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, creatinine, uric acid, glucose, sodium, potassium, and calcium, urine protein/sugar, and defecation frequency. Total protein, albumin and total cholesterol significantly increased following the administration of the DF-LFD, associated with an average increase in body weight of 1.94 kg (5.0%). Defecation frequency significantly increased one week after DF-LFD administration was started, but this effect was transient. Although a few patients complained of nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain, no severe side effects were seen. In conclusion, DF-LFD supplementation appears to be beneficial for elderly bed-ridden patients, and can increase nutritional-related parameters, such as body weight, total protein, albumin and total cholesterol, without severe side effects.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bed Rest*
  • Blood Glucose / analysis
  • Blood Proteins / analysis
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Cholesterol / blood
  • Defecation / drug effects
  • Dietary Fiber / administration & dosage*
  • Dietary Fiber / adverse effects
  • Dietary Fiber / pharmacology*
  • Dietary Supplements* / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Food Preferences
  • Food, Formulated* / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Immobilization
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / physiology*
  • Urine / chemistry

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Blood Proteins
  • Dietary Fiber
  • Cholesterol