Impact of Home-Delivered Meals on Nutrition Status and Nutrient Intake among Older Adults in Central Texas

This study aimed to measure changes in nutrition risk and nutrient intake after older adults received home-delivered meals (HDM) for 3 months.

This study used a pre-posttest study design, with data collected before and after 3 months of HDM services.

Two HDM programs that serve the metropolitan areas of Austin and San Antonio, Texas.

Study participants were aged 60 years or older, without dementia or terminal illness, and receiving HDM in Austin, Texas and San Antonio, Texas for 3 months.

The Nutrition Screening Initiative (NSI) and Mini Nutrition Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) were used to assess nutritional risk. The National Cancer Institute Diet History Questionnaire II (DHQ II) was used to assess nutrient intake over the past month.

After receiving 3 months of HDM, nutrition status significantly improved as measured by the NSI and MNA-SF. More participants met or exceeded the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for magnesium and zinc after receiving HDM compared to before receiving HDM. Dietary supplement intake was associated with a higher nutritional risk.

Improvements in nutrition status were found after 3 months of receiving HDM, whereas intake of most nutrients did not change significantly. Results of this study provide further evidence that HDM can reduce nutritional risk of older adults, and may inform HDM programs on the differences of NSI and/or MNA-SF to assess nutritional risk of clients.