Body composition, dietary intake and estimated energy expenditure in female patients on geriatric rehabilitation wards

Abstract

Background: An adequate nutritional status is a prerequisite for successful rehabilitation. Objective: To examine body composition, to investigate nutritional intake, to calculate energy expenditure in elderly females at a geriatric rehabilitation clinic, to classify whether they were considered as undernourished or at risk of becoming undernourished, and to investigate the subjects' opinions on diet-related issues. Design: 20 patients aged 82±6 (mean±SD) years participated. Percentage body fat was calculated from skinfold thickness measurements, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and a combination of the two in a multicompartment model. Dietary intake was assessed through a 7 day food record. Energy expenditure was calculated with three established formulae and physical activity level (PAL) factors of 1.2 and 1.4. Questions were asked on diet-related issues. Results: Average BMI was 23.7±4.5 kg m-2 and four subjects had BMI <20. Relative body fat mass as assessed by skinfold was 29.8±6.9%, by BIA 38.9±7.7% and by a multicompartment model 35.5±7.1%. Mean energy intake was 1340±170 kcal (5.6±0.7 MJ), around 79% of the recommended daily intake. In 18 of 19 subjects the observed dietary energy intake was lower than estimated energy expenditure when using two of the formulae and a PAL factor of 1.4. All subjects considered that they received a sufficient amount of food. Conclusions: Only one of the subjects had a satisfactory energy intake relative to calculated energy expenditure, although all believed that they received sufficient food. Four subjects were considered as undernourished (BMI <20) and all others as at risk of undernutrition.