Oral feeding and nutritional improvement in hospitals and residential care homes. Industry innovations

OBJECTIVES: Inpatient and institutionalized elderly patients are population groups vulnerable from the nutritional point of view because oftheir greater risk of deficiencies and because in them the effects of imbalances are more serious than in other groups. Analyzing the possible usefulness of industry innovations offering solutions in the oral feeding of these population groups constitutes the objective of the present work.

METHODS: Bibliographic search related to the topic.

RESULTS: Patients with nutritional problems, prior to hospitalization, are at increased risk of complications, higher mortality and longer hospitalization. On the other hand, hospitalized or institutionalized individuals have different nutritional problems that increase their sanitary and functional risk. The most common nutritional problems can lead to sarcopenia, increased cardiovascular risk (by increased sodium intake or suffering from various deficiencies that impair lipid/homocysteine metabolism, blood pressure control, and promote oxidative stress, endothelial deterioration...), cataract disease, COPD, cognitive impairment and less defense against infections. Taking into account the most frequent problems, it is important that there are foods adapted (because of their texture and ease of swallowing), enriched (vitamins C, D, E, folic acid, calcium, zinc...), low sodium and in some cases are useful gluten-free, lactose-free and allergen-free products. In all cases they must guarantee a high nutritional value and achieve the best organoleptic qualities (taste, texture and color), so that they are appetizing and remind the individual (hospitalized or institutionalized) of the traditional cuisine.

CONCLUSIONS: Diverse nutrition organizations and societies stand out that all individuals must have access to safe and adequate food for optimal nutritional status. The beneficial effect of proper nutrition on health promotion, disease risk reduction and impairment should be emphasized, especially in institutionalized/hospitalized subjects. Industry innovations can play an important role in enabling access to adequate food with nutritional benefits.