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Table 1 Description of the procedures in the intervention and control group

From: Effect of individually tailored nutritional counselling on protein and energy intake among older people receiving home care at risk of or having malnutrition: a non-randomised intervention study

Home visits

Procedures in the intervention group

Procedures in the control group

1st home visit (a clinical nutritionist)

Intervention continued by homecare nurses and family caretakes after a clinical nutritionist home visit.

Baseline measurements:

• examined weight, height and daily eating routines with 24-hour dietary recalls

• collected history of health problems, food preferences and appetite status

• evaluated nutritional status with the MNA test and plasma albumin and nutrient intake by using the 24-hour dietary recalls

Individual tailored nutritional care plan:

• increased their protein and energy intake with

o protein1- and energy2 dense food items

o the number of meals

o consumption of energy-, protein- and nutrient-rich snacks

• used daily vitamin D (20-μg) supplementation

• advised on other food-related issues such as

o grocery shopping and cooking

o appetite

o eating-related problems

• handed special food-related leaflets covering increasing protein and energy intake and booklet of good nutrition for older adults

Baseline measurements:

• examined the client’s weight, height and daily eating routines with 24-hour dietary recalls

• collected the client’s history of health problems, food preferences and appetite status

• evaluated the client’s nutritional status with the MNA test and plasma albumin and nutrient intake by using the 24-hour dietary recalls

Not received intervention.

2nd home visit after 6 months (a clinical nutritionist)

Re-examined measurements:

• examined weight, height and daily eating routines with 24-hour dietary recalls

• collected history of health problems, food preferences and appetite status

• evaluated nutritional status with the MNA test and plasma albumin and nutrient intake by using the 24-hour dietary recalls

• if needed repetition of received instructions on how to follow the given nutritional care plan (clients, their nurse or family members)

Re-examined measurements:

• examined the client’s weight, height and daily eating routines with 24-hour dietary recalls

• collected the client’s history of health problems, food preferences and appetite status

• evaluated the client’s nutritional status with the MNA test and plasma albumin and nutrient intake by using the 24-hour dietary recalls

• booklet of good nutrition for older adults

  1. MNA Mini Nutritional Assessment; 1. To increase protein intake: use plenty of dairy products; boiled in milk porridge, cheese on bread, snack with cheese, yogurt or milk, foods milk powder, high protein dairy products, and hot meal with meat, fish or eggs; 2. To increase energy intake: eat several small meals a day e.g. oil to foods, margarine on a slice of bread.