[Nutritional intake of daily diets in nursing homes for the aged. I--Energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate and fiber].

Daily diet from 20 nursing homes for the elderly in the German state of Hessen was collected over a period of 7 days. Caloric free beverages were not included. After weighing and protocoling, the components of the meals were combined to one sample per day. Energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate and dietary fiber content was determined by analytical methods and by calculation using the nutrient table Federal Foodstuffs Key (Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel). Mean calculated contents exceeded analytical determined data except for dietary fibre. In comparison to the recommendations of the German Association for Nutrition (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung) concerning nutrient intake of the elderly, energy, fat and protein content of the daily diet were too high. Carbohydrate content did not reach the recommendations, being at least 50% of energy intake. It is remarkable that dietary fibre content exceeded the recommendations of 30 grams per day. In Hessen a similar study was already done in 1982. Regarding energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate content, only negligible changes could be stated since that time.