Meal programs improve nutrition for elderly

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Meal-assistance programs like Meals on Wheels may help keep vulnerable elderly adults from becoming malnourished, a study shows.

The findings suggest that seniors at risk for becoming malnourished should be encouraged to use these programs, said study author Dr. Heather H. Keller of the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Her study, which followed 263 older adults for 18 months, found that those who participated in Meals on Wheels were less likely to become high-risk for nutritional deficiencies than those who received no meal assistance.

On average, Meals on Wheels participants showed an improvement, or at least no decline, in their nutrition over time, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

By the end of the study, 30 percent were judged to be at "high nutritional risk" -- showing, for example, weight loss, poor appetite or inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy foods. That compared with 42 percent of elderly adults who weren't in a meal-assistance program. Help with food shopping did not appear to affect study participants' nutritional risk, Keller found, possibly because they were a highly vulnerable group in general.

This underscores the importance of providing vulnerable elderly individuals with prepared meals, and not just groceries, she told Reuters Health.

The study included elderly men and women who required some sort of help, from family or service agencies, in their daily activities. Most of these individuals were in a meal-assistance program, including Meals on Wheels or group programs where meals were provided in a social setting. At the beginning of the study and 18 months later, participants completed a standard questionnaire on appetite, eating habits, problems with shopping or cooking, and weight changes. On average, Keller found, those in the Meals on Wheels program showed an improvement on their questionnaire scores over time, while seniors receiving no assistance had worsening scores. Men and women in group meal programs also fared better, though Meals on Wheels appeared particularly effective. Many seniors, Keller said, view such programs as a step toward losing their independence, when, in fact, better nutrition may help them remain independent. "Family, as well as primary care providers, need to encourage these programs," Keller said.

Family members, she noted, may be able to tell whether an elderly relative needs assistance by looking for signs like weight loss, changes in appearance and a lack of food in the refrigerator and cupboards.