Effects of a Nutritional Supplementation on the Functional Status of Frail Elders With Low Socioeconomic Status (SES)

Chronic undernutrition is a common condition in older people, and is clearly an important component of frailty. However, the effect of protein-energy nutritional supplementation on the functional status of frail older people is controversial. Some investigators suggested that, if nutritional or functional status has deteriorated too far, it could be very difficult for single nutritional supplementation to reverse malnutrition progression or functional decline.

The investigators believe one of the reasons for these ineffective results, especially for the community-dwelling frail elderly, may be due to a lack of regard to the socioeconomic status of the study population. For this reason, the investigators recruited a study sample with low socioeconomic status and evaluated the effect of protein-energy nutritional supplementation on their disability scores and physical performance.

Inclusion criteria

• Older adults over 65 years of age, registered in the National Home Healthcare Service database
• Require more than 5 seconds to perform 3m walking test (Usual Gait Speed <0.6 m/sec)
• Get less than 24 points on Mini Nutritional Assessment (Mini Nutritional Assessment <24)

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to walk or are too functionally deteriorated to receive home health care services
• Who were participating in any kind of exercise program or clinical nutrition program
• who were restricted to a high-protein diet by an internist (i.e., for liver failure or severe renal failure)