Nutrient intake and plate waste from an Australian residential care facility

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 61; no. 5; pp. 655 - 663
• Main Authors: Grieger, J.A, Nowson, C.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing 01-05-2007; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Aged, 80 and over; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Body weight; Body weight loss; Calciferol; Calcium; Calcium, Dietary - administration & dosage; Clinical nutrition; Cross-Sectional Studies; dietary minerals; elderly; elderly nutrition; Energy; Energy intake; Energy Intake - physiology; energy requirements; Female; Food; Food intake; Food Service, Hospital - standards; Food sources; food wastes; Geriatric Assessment; Homes for the Aged; Humans; Male; Meals; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Nursing Homes; nutrient intake; Nutrients; Nutrition; Nutrition Assessment; nutritional adequacy; Nutritional Requirements; Nutritional Status; Older people; plate waste; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - administration & dosage; Weight loss; Australia; Oceania; energy intake; Long stay; Nursing home for the aged; Calcium; Nutrition; Energy input; Health service; Inorganic element; food waste; Vitamin D; Food intake; Wastes; Nursing home; nursing homes; Food
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602565

Objective: To determine the plate waste, energy and selected-nutrient intake, from elderly residents living in a high-level care (HLC) and low-level care (LLC) facility. Design: Three, single, whole day assessments of plate waste, energy, and selected nutrients, using a visual rating plate waste scale. Setting: Long-term residential care establishment. Subjects: One hundred and sixty-nine (93 HLC and 76 LLC) individual daily intakes. Main findings: The mean energy wasted throughout the whole day was 17%. The energy wasted from main meals (16%) was significantly less than the energy wasted at mid-meals (22%, P=0.049). The lowest mean energy wastage occurred at breakfast (8%) compared to lunch (22%) and dinner (25%, P<0.001). The mean (s.d.) daily energy served and consumed was 8.1 (2.0) and 6.6 (2.2) MJ, respectively. There was no difference in energy served or consumed between HLC and LLC residents. On the observation day, 60% of residents consumed less than their estimated energy requirement. The mean calcium intake was 796 (346) mg, and the median (inter-quartile range) vitamin D intake was 1.78 (2.05) micrograms. Conclusion: On 1 day, more than half the residents surveyed were at risk of consuming an inadequate energy intake, which over-time, may result in body weight loss. Although wastage was not excessive and energy served was adequate, the amount of food eaten was insufficient to meet energy and calcium requirements for a significant number of residents and it is not possible to consume sufficient vitamin D through food sources.