Skipping of meals has a significant impact on dietary intake and nutritional status of old (65+ y) nursing home residents

Background. In spite of a high prevalence of undernutrition among old nursing home residents, studies have generally reported a mean intake of energy sufficient to cover the mean estimated energy requirement. This discrepancy could be due to skipping of meals and hence periods of insufficient energy intake too intermittent to be identified, when mean results are presented. Objective. To examine the significance of skipping of (part of) meals on dietary intake and nutritional status of old (65+y) nursing home residents. Design. Participants were 132 nursing home residents (84 (82-85) y). They were characterised according to activity of daily living-functions (ADL-functions), cognitive performance, intake of energy and protein (4-days dietary record), skipping of meals, energy and protein balance, and nutritional status (body mass index (BMI)). Results. The participants had an energy intake, which was significantly higher than the estimated energy requirement (p<0.001). However, 41 (31%) had nothing to eat or only had dessert at one or more meals during the 4-day registration period. Participants who were skipping meals had a lower BMI, energy and protein intake (all p<0.001) and a higher prevalence of negative protein balance (p<0.01), than the other residents. Conclusion. More focus should be given to individualized nutritional assessment in order to discover the cause to this problem and target individuals who could be helped by nutritional intervention.