Food Intake of Hospitalized Elderly and Its Influence on Muscular and Clinical Outcomes

Food Intake of Hospitalized Elderly and Its Influence on Muscular and Clinical Outcomes: A Prospective Cohort Study

The objectives of the present study are: 1) to characterize the energy-protein intake of the elderly during hospitalization; 2) to verify the influence of energy-protein intake during hospitalization on muscular (i.e., cross-sectional area of the rectus femoris and vastus lateralis muscles, muscle strength, functionality and level of independence) and clinical (i.e., length of hospital stay, hospital readmission and mortality) at the time of hospital discharge, 2 and 6 months after hospital discharge and; 3) to verify whether energy-protein intake during hospitalization is a significant predictor of loss of function and muscle mass, length of hospital stay, hospital readmission rate and mortality.

Inclusion Criteria:

• both sex;
• 65 years and older;
• hospital stay less than 48 hours;

Exclusion Criteria:

• cancer in the last 5 years;
• delirium;
• cognitive deficit that impossibility the patient to read and sign the informed consent form;
• neurological disease;
• neurodegenerative muscular disease;
• patients receive nutrition via enteral and parenteral routes.