Study circles improve the precision in nutritional care in special accommodations

Background: Disease-related malnutrition is a major health problem in the elderly population, but it has until recently received very little attention, especially are management issues under-explored. By identifying residents at the risk of undernutrition, appropriate nutritional care can be provided.

Objectives: Do study circles and policy documents improve the precision in nutritional care and decrease the prevalence of low or high BMI?

Design: Pre and post intervention study.

Setting: Special accommodations (nursing homes) within six municipalities were involved.

Participants: In 2005, 1726 (90.4%) out of 1910 residents agreed to participate and in 2007, 1526 (81.8%) out of 1866 residents participated.

Intervention: Study circles in one municipality, having a policy document in one municipality and no intervention in four municipalities.

Measurements: Risk of undernutrition was defined as involving any of: involuntary weight loss, low BMI, and/or eating difficulties. Overweight was defined as high BMI.

Results: In 2005 and 2007, 64% of 1726 and 66% of 1526 residents respectively were at the risk of undernutrition. In 2007 significantly more patients in the study circle municipality were accurately provided protein and energy enriched food compared to in the no intervention municipalities. There was a decrease in the prevalence of low BMI in the study circle municipality and the prevalence of overweight increased in the policy document municipality between 2005 and 2007.