Effects of dietary supplement on functional condition and clinical outcome measured with a modified Norton scale.

Elderly long-term care patients (n = 501) were randomly allocated to receive dietary supplementation (400 kcal/day) in addition to a normal hospital diet, or normal hospital diet only, for 26 weeks. The patients' functional condition was assessed by a modified Norton scale comprising mental condition, activity, mobility, food intake, fluid intake, incontinence and general physical state. Nutritional status was assessed by anthropometry, serum protein analysis and delayed hypersensitivity skin tests. Improvements during the first 8 weeks were seen in activity and general physical condition in the supplemented group, and in mobility and general physical condition in the control group. After 8 weeks the supplemented group showed a significantly higher level of activity (p < 0.05) compared to the control group. We conclude that in long-term geriatric care nutritional supplements help to maintain and improve the patients function.