P234 - A PREBIOTIC-CONTAINING COMPACT-STYLE ORAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT IMPROVES NUTRITIONAL INTAKE, WITH GOOD TOLERANCE, COMPLIANCE AND ACCEPTABILITY IN OLDER ADULTS AT RISK OF DISEASE-RELATED MALNUTRITION

P234

A PREBIOTIC-CONTAINING COMPACT-STYLE ORAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT IMPROVES NUTRITIONAL INTAKE, WITH GOOD TOLERANCE, COMPLIANCE AND ACCEPTABILITY IN OLDER ADULTS AT RISK OF DISEASE-RELATED MALNUTRITION

G. P. Hubbard^1,*, N. Kominek², R. J. Stratton^1,3

¹Clinical Research, Nutricia Ltd, Trowbridge, ²Nutrition and Dietetics/Integrated and Community Care, The Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Swindon, ³Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom

Rationale: Prebiotic-containing oral nutritional supplements (PreB-ONS) may be beneficial for older patients at risk of disease-related malnutrition (DRM)^*. This study investigated their effects on nutrient intake and compliance, tolerance and acceptability in community-based older adults at risk of DRM.

Methods: 19 patients (6M:13F; age 87±7y (range 67-97); BMI 18.9±2.2kg/m²) at medium & high risk of DRM (MUST) with various conditions (Cardiovascular: 5; Respiratory: 4; Frailty: 2; Parkinson’s disease: 2; other: 6) were recruited from 12 care homes. They received dietary advice and ≥1bottle/d of a compact-style PreB-ONS (300kcal (2.4kcal/ml), 12g protein, 4.5g prebiotic fibres (galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) / sc&lc fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) / pectin), Nutricia Ltd/125ml bottle for 7d. Total nutrient intake, compliance, gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance and acceptability were recorded.

Results: PreB-ONS (mean ONS intake 379kcal, 15.3g protein, 5.9g prebiotics/d) significantly increased total energy (1514±556 vs. 1919±526kcal/d), protein (51.6±20.6 vs. 67.8±19.8g/d) and fibre (7.4±3.6 vs. 13.5±4.1g/d) intakes (p=0.0001) with NS improvements in food intake. Mean % compliance was 84±5%, acceptability was high with >90% of patients finding it convenient, pleasant and liking the taste. PreB-ONS was well tolerated, with no statistically significant differences vs baseline over 7d with a trend towards reduced flatulence and abdominal discomfort. 

Conclusion: Use of a prebiotic-containing ONS alongside dietary advice improved total nutritional intake in older adults at risk of DRM, while being well complied with, accepted and tolerated. Larger, longer term controlled research is needed to assess the impact on patients’ intake and outcomes. 

References: ^*Sheridan et al, 2014; 5(1); 74-82

Disclosure of Interest: None declared