Effects of an enhanced iron dense foods offering in the daily meals served in geriatric institutions on measures of iron deficiency anemia.

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of anemia in geriatric patients. Although the oral iron intake is often inadequate, the potential of iron dense foods in the daily meals of geriatric institutions is rarely considered. To test during a 1- year span whether an improved frequency of iron dense foods in the daily meals has an impact on the oral iron intake, the hemoglobin concentration and anemia prevalence of institutionalized geriatric patients. A parallel, open, pre-and post-oral nutrition intervention study. Two geriatric hospitals participated as intervention centers and one as comparison center. METHODS: In the two intervention centers, a menu plan adapted with iron dense foods was applied. In the comparison center the regular meals provisions was continued. At months 1, 6 and 12 of the intervention time the routine blood-parameter hemoglobin was taken from the geriatric hospital's medical report. Component analysis assessed the nutrient density of the offered meals. 2-day-weighing records realized at month 1 and 6 of intervention-time assessed the iron intake. Ninety-nine geriatric patients in the intervention centers and 37 in the comparison center. All of them had multiple chronic diseases and an average age of 84 years. With the non-parametric Friedmann-Test for repeated measurements, we establish differences within the groups. With the Mann-Whitney-U-Test, we establish differences between the groups. For dichotomous variables, the chi-square-test was used. A p-value of< 0.05 was considered statistically significant for all analyses. RESULTS: In the intervention centers the iron intake (p < 0.001) and the hemoglobin concentration (p = 0.002) improved significantly (p < 0.001). As in the comparison center the frequency of meat and sausage offerings was twice as much as recommended also the hemoglobin concentration improved (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Geriatric patients with anemia or low hemoglobin level benefit optimally from a diet rich in iron dense foods. Enhanced access to such can indeed correct iron deficiency anemia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The ethics committee of the Municipality of Vienna ( EK-13-043-0513 ) approved the study.

The energy intake through regular nontherapeutic meals provision in long-term care: impact on nutritional status and related Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index.

To investigate how the energy intake of institutionalized long-term-care patients through the regular nontherapeutic meals provision is associated with the nutritional status and the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI). A 9 month longitudinal, observational study. Long-term-care Hospital. 66 long-term-care patients with multiple medical conditions and solely oral food-intake. 47 (71 %) patients, predominantly women (n = 39/47), with a mean age of 83.04 (±9.58) years completed study time and 19 (29 %) deceased. At week 1 and week 36 of observation time energy intake was measured by means of three-days-weighing-records. Body composition was assessed with bioelectrical impedance analysis. Serum albumin, body weight and body height were taken from the medical report. Albumin content, body weight and height were used to calculate the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index: GNRI = [1.489 × albumin (g/L)] + [41.7 × (weight/ideal body weight)]. Energy intake was significantly below 24 kcal/kg body weight per day. The GNRI of the deceased patients was significantly (p = 0.002) lower than the GNRI of the completers. During observation time energy-intake p < 0.001, body fat (p = 0.001) and phase angle (PA) of bio impedance measurement (p = 0.018) and likewise the GNRI (p = 0.021) of the completers decreased significantly. At the beginning and at the end of observation time energy intake correlated significantly with PA (p = 0.028/p < 0.001) and GNRI (p = 0.436/p = 0.004). Also GNRI and PA correlated significantly at the beginning (p = 0.001) and at the end (p < 0.001) of observation time. The energy intake through non therapeutic meals provision was too low for sustaining the nutritional status and likewise the GNRI. The malnourishment and the nutrition related clinical risk of the geriatric patients aggrevated during observation time.