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