LB122 - TOLERANCE, COMPLIANCE AND PALATABILITY OF A PAEDIATRIC ORAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT CONTAINING FOOD BLENDS.

LB122

TOLERANCE, COMPLIANCE AND PALATABILITY OF A PAEDIATRIC ORAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT CONTAINING FOOD BLENDS.

S. Durnan^1,*, J. Evans², K. Simpson³, S. Saduera⁴

¹Dietetics, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham , ²Dietetics, University College London Hospital, London, ³Dietetics, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Crewe, ⁴Medical Affairs, Nestlé Health Science, Crawley, United Kingdom

 

Rationale: Evidence indicates that enteral formulas containing real food ingredients are safe, well tolerated, and can reduce common gastrointestinal symptoms^1-6. Beyond enteral feeding paediatric patients at risk of malnutrition could benefit from oral nutritional supplement (ONS) with real food ingredients. This study evaluated acceptability, including gastrointestinal tolerance, compliance and palatability of such ONS.

Methods: Ethics approval number IRAS ID 341164, REC Reference: 24/WS/0091

A single arm, prospective, multicentre study on children receiving a newly developed ONS with real food ingredient blends. Data were collected at baseline, day 7 and day 28. Outcome measures included assessment of gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance (incidence and severity of symptoms recorded on a Likert scale), compliance (volume prescribed vs volume taken), palatability, parent/carer satisfaction, ease of use and weight.

Results: 17 participants were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria and were consented. Age 1-15 years; 47.1% were females and 52.9% males. 58.82% could be grouped as oncology diagnoses. 88.2% (15/17) completed the study, 11.6% withdrew at day 7 (2/15). 93.3% at day 7 were able to take the full volume prescribed. At day 28, GI tolerance was scored as significantly improved 20%, slightly improved 6.6%, no change 60% or slightly worse 13.3%. Palatability was scored as excellent 26.6%, very good 13.3% or good 46.67%. Ease of use was scored excellent 60%, very good 20%, or good 20%.

Conclusion: The real food paediatric ONS was well tolerated, highly palatable, and generally well accepted, with good compliance and ease of use. These findings support its potential role in paediatric nutritional support. Further analyses are ongoing to assess impact on weight and nutrient adequacy those data will be presented at the conference.

 

Study funded by Nestle Health Science UK

References:         1.  O’Connor G, Watson M, Van Der Linde M, Bonner RS, Hopkins J, Saduera S. Monitor gastrointestinal tolerance in children who have switched to an “enteral formula with food-derived ingredients”: A national, multicenter retrospective chart review (RICIMIX study).Nutr Clin Pract. 2021;1-6.https://doi.org/10.1002/ncp.108129342022;37:929–934.

        2.  O'Connor G, Velandia AC and Capriles ZH. The impact of an enteral formula with food‐derived ingredients on dietetic practice at a specialist children's hospital in the UK: Retrospective study. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2024;1–9.https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13374

        3.  Steel et al. Understanding the use and tolerance of a pediatric and an adult commercial blenderized enteral formula through real‐world data. Nutr. Clin. Pract. 2023;38:449–457

        4.  Thornton-Wood C and Saduera S. Tolerance and Acceptability of a New Paediatric Enteral Tube Feeding Formula Containing Ingredients Derived From Food: A Multicentre Trial In The United Kingdom.   J Neonatol Clin Pediatr 2020, 7: 050 DOI: 10.24966/NCP-878X/100050

        5.  Schmidt et al. The effect of a natural food-based tube feeding in minimizing diarrhoea in critically ill neurological patients. Clinical Nutrition. 2019; 38(1): 332-340

        6.  Samela et al. Transition to a tube feeding formula with real food ingredients in pediatric patients with intestinal failure. Nutr Clin Pract. 2017; 32(2):277-281

Disclosure of Interest: None declared