Sufficient protein intake is crucial to maintain muscle mass, especially for older adults. Research data showed an insufficient intake of proteins in hospitalized older adults. A single blind randomized controlled trial examined the impact of protein-enriched bread and drinking yogurt on protein intake among 47 hospitalized elderly (> 55 years) in the Netherlands.
Improved protein intake per day
As part of their daily meal, the subjects received normal (control group) or protein-enriched (intervention group) drinking yogurt and bread during three consecutive days. The protein-enriched bread contained 6.9g proteins per serving, compared to 3.8g for the normal bread. Drinking yogurt contained 20.0g proteins per portion for the intervention group and 7.5g in the control group. Food intake and nutritional value were evaluated according to the Dutch Food Composition Table.
The results showed 1.1g/kg/day of mean protein intake for the intervention subjects, whereby 36% of the group reached the daily minimum recommendations of 1.2g/kg. The control group showed a minimum daily intake of 0.9g/kg and 8% met the requirements. The contribution of proteins in bread and yogurt to improved protein intake was equally in the intervention group.
