CompletedNot Applicable

Increase Protein Intake of Older Meal Service Clients With Readymade Protein-rich Meals and Foods

Netherlands100 participantsStarted 2017-04-04

Plain-language summary

Rationale: Undernutrition risk among community-dwelling older adults in developed countries is shown to be around 24%. Increasing protein intake is a strategy that is feasible as well as efficacious to reduce undernutrition in community-dwelling older adults. A promising strategy to increase protein intake among older adults, is to offer dietary solutions with normal foods that fit their current daily eating patterns. For this reason, home-delivered protein-rich readymade meals and protein-rich dairy products will be studied in this research. Objective: The primary objective is to study the effectiveness of commercially available protein-rich readymade meals and protein-rich dairy products in increasing protein intake of older adults who use a meal-delivery service to a level of 1.2 g/kg bodyweight/d. Secondary objectives include: studying effects of these meals and dairy products on total daily energy intake. Further, studying the acceptance of and compliance to the meals and dairy products. Study design: The study will be performed as a single-blind randomized, controlled, four-week trial in a real-life setting: in community-dwelling older adults' own homes. Study population: The target group of this study are community-dwelling older adults who use a meal-delivery service. Intervention: Both groups will receive readymade meals for each day during 4 weeks. They will also receive dairy products to freely consume during the intervention period. The intervention groups receives protein-rich meals and protein-rich dairy products, the control receives standard meals and food products. Main study parameters/endpoints: Difference in daily protein intake between intervention and control group. Secondary parameters: energy intake and acceptance (liking).

Who can participate

Age range

65 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 65 years or over * Living at home * Be a client of maaltijdservice.nl * Being able to eat by themselves * Have a microwave to heat meals * Live in Nijmegen or Den Bosch area * Being able to understand, read and speak Dutch * Having signed informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Legally incapacitated * Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score \< 24 * Following a diet with protein restriction or a vegetarian diet * Allergies or intolerances prohibiting the use of dairy products * Only using texture modified foods (liquid diet) * Diagnosed by doctor with renal insufficiency * Suffering from a terminal illness

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Protein intake

Timeframe: 4 weeks

Trial details

NCT IDNCT03032237

SponsorHAN University of Applied Sciences

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2017-05-31

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Malnutrition; Protein trials