Highlights
- •Healthy older people should consume in average 1.0–1.2 g/kg of body weight of protein per day.
- •Nutritional interventions are effective when combined with physical exercise.
- •Vitamin D supplementation is important in people with 25-OH vitamin D level < 30 nmol/l.
Abstract
Background and purpose
There is sufficient evidence that nutrition and frailty status are related. In order
to deliver quality management of frail and pre-frail patients, clinicians and dieticians
should understand the role of nutrition in the concept of frailty. This study examines
the role of nutrition in ageing in general, malnutrition and the risk of frailty,
individual nutritional factors as the risk factors of frailty and lastly nutritional
interventions that have a significant role in frailty.
Methods
A literature search was conducted in the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase,
Cinahl and UpToDate. The criterion in selecting the literature was that articles were
published between 2002 and 2017. From 39,885 initial hits, 28 publications were selected.
Results
Malnutrition or being at risk of malnutrition increases the risk of frailty and its
consequences. With regard to the importance of recognizing malnutrition and the risk
of malnutrition, the Mini Nutritional Assessment is a validated tool with acceptable
sensitivity/specificity to be used for screening and assessment. Frail patients who
are at an elevated risk of falls and fractures need Vitamin D supplementation. The
promotion of a Mediterranean diet and a protein intake of at least 1–1.2 g per kilogram
of body weight per day is beneficial.
Conclusions
One of the main variable risk factors for the development of frailty can be unsuitable
nourishment and there is evidence that nutrition and frailty status are related. Successful
comprehensive management of frailty requires a balanced healthy nutrition at all ages,
preferably in combination with physical activity.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 03, 2018
Accepted:
July 23,
2018
Received in revised form:
July 20,
2018
Received:
March 29,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
