Malnutrition or its risk is common among older people, especially among those receiving home care services. It impairs the quality of life of the older people and results in significant costs to society. To maintain adequate nutrition, increased meal frequency is important. In addition to main meals, regular consumption of tasty, convenient, nutrient- and energy-dense snacks is recommended. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of dairy- and berry-based snack consumption on nutritional and functional status and quality of life among vulnerable older people at home care.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
85
High-protein dairy-based products and energy-enriched berry products for three months
University of Eastern Finland
Kuopio, Finland
Nutritional status
Nutritional status is assessed by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) test which is a validated and standardized tool for detecting malnutrition and its risk in older people. Scores 24.0 - 30.0 indicate normal nutritional status, scores 17.0 - 23.5 risk of malnutrition and scores \< 17.0 malnutrition. Change in the MNA score is determined.
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months
Albumin
Change in plasma albumin concentration
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months
Prealbumin
Change in plasma prealbumin concentration
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months
Hand grip strength
Change in grip strength of both hands
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months
Body mass index (BMI)
Change in BMI
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months
Mid-arm muscular area (MMA)
Change in MMA
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months
Hemoglobin
Change in blood hemoglobin concentration
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months
C-reactive protein (CRP)
Change in plasma high-sensitivity CRP concentration
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months
Activity and sleep assessed by ActiGraph monitoring
Changes in several parameters describing physical activity and quality of sleep
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months
Health-related quality of life
Health-related quality of life is assessed by the 15D instrument. It is a generic, standardized instrument consisting of 15 dimensions: moving, vision, hearing, breathing, sleeping, eating, speech, elimination, usual activities, mental functioning, discomfort/symptoms, depression, distress, vitality, and sexual activity. Each dimension is divided into five levels by which more or less an attribute is distinguished. In this study 15D is used as single index score measure. The single index score (15D score) is calculated from the health state descriptive system through the use of an additive three-stage valuation model based on the multiattribute utility theory. The preference weights for the 15 dimensions, and their levels have been elicited from representative population samples. The 15D score is on a 0-1 scale, where 1 stands for "full health" and 0 being dead. Change in the 15D score is determined, and a change of ±.03 is clinically important.
Time frame: Baseline and 3 months
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