Evaluation of a Strategy for the Presentation of Oral Nutritional Supplements in Verrines for Managing Undernutrition in the Elderly Undergoing Follow-up Care and Geriatric Rehabilitation

Evaluation of a Strategy for the Presentation of Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) in Verrines for Managing Undernutrition in the Elderly Undergoing Follow-up Care and Geriatric Rehabilitation. Biomedical, Monocentric, Comparative, Clustered and Open Randomized Research Study

Protein-energy malnutrition results from an imbalance between the body's intake and needs. Among the elderly in long-term care, the prevalence of undernutrition varies from 30% to 70%. It is responsible for or aggravates a state of fragility or dependence, and promotes the occurrence of morbidities. It is also associated with worsening prognosis for underlying diseases and increases the risk of death. Nutritional management of undernutrition is an issue, especially in health facilities. Among the various existing nutritional care methods, oral nutritional supplements should be considered in the event of failure of food enrichment measures or even at the outset in undernourished elderly people. However, compliance or acceptance of these products among the elderly remains limited and variable with consumption of oral nutritional supplements ranging between 48% and 94% according to studies, and, because of their ease of prescription, oral supplements are sometimes the only nutritional intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Undernourished or at-risk individuals with blood albumin levels below 35 g/L or prealbumin levels below 200 mg/L,
• Person admitted to geriatric follow up care less than 48 hours ago,
• Person fed orally,
• Person with a prescription for an ONS,
• Person who speaks and understands French.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Person not affiliated to a national health insurance scheme
• Person requiring enteral or parenteral feeding
• Person refusing to consume ONS
• People at the very end of their lives