The purpose of this study is to examine the feeding and nutritional status of enteral tube-fed elderly patients. Subjects included 77 elderly hospitalized patients who had received enteral nutrition more than one week before admission. Medical records on admission and actual feeding volume were used to assess anthropometric, biochemical, and nutritional status. Most patients manifested disorders of the nervous system (93.5%) and the average duration of tube feeding was 13.9 months. The average feeding volume of formula was 1,107 mL per day and the mean ratios of calorie and protein (supplied vs. required) were 81.7% and 80.9%, respectively. At admission, 57.4% of the patients were malnourished according to the institutional criteria. Patients receiving less than 80% of the required calories were in worse nutritional status compared with those receiving more than 80% of the required calories. Body mass index, percent ideal body weight, serum albumin level and blood lipid levels (total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride) were significantly lower in patients receiving less than 80% of the required calories. These results indicate the high prevalence of malnutrition and the need for increased attention and nutritional care of elderly patients undergoing long-term enteral nutrition.

This study was performed to estimate the salt content and evaluate the nutritional quality of free lunch meals served by welfare facilities for the elderly. We collected food items from 8 welfare facilities in Gyeonggi-do, and calculated the total salt content from the salinity and weight of individual food items. The average salt content from lunch meals was 5.68 g, which was over the recommended daily salt intake by the WHO. The greatest contributor to the salt content among the menu groups was soup and stew (37.5%). Soup, stew, deep-fried foods, and sauces were major sources of salt, while the most salty dishes were sauces, deep-fried food, salt-fermented food, and kimchi. The nutrient content was sufficient, except for calcium in both men and women, which was equal to approximately 1/3 of the dietary recommended intakes (DRIs) for Korean adults of their mean age. In addition, the index of nutritional quality (INQ) and nutrient adequacy ratios (NAR) of most nutrients were satisfactory, except for those of calcium and sodium. The INQs of calcium and sodium were 0.64 and 4.41, respectively, while the mean adequacy ratio of a meal was 0.95. These results suggest that multilateral efforts to lower sodium intake be considered and calcium sources be added, in order to improve the quality of meals served to the elderly at welfare facilities.

The purpose of this study was to assess the consumption patterns of Makoli and to provide age-specific suggestions to increase the popularity of newly developed products. The subjects of the study were 373 men and 329 women, and information was obtained by self-administered questionnaire in December of 2010. One major finding of the study was that regardless of gender, consumption of Makoli was correlated to age: older respondents drank more Makoli. Those in their thirties and older, especially women, drank Makoli at home with family. The reasons given for liking or disliking Makoli differed among age groups, but were the same between genders. More subjects in their twenties liked Makoli because of its distinctive taste, while more in their forties liked it for its cultural value. Subjects in their thirties disliked it because it caused headaches, while more in their forties complained of burping. Both genders in their twenties suggested that TV and internet advertisements may be the best strategy to increase the popularity of newly developed Makoli products, and women in their forties suggested promoting Makoli’s health benefits. The low calorie content of new Makoli products appealed to women of all age groups and men in their twenties and thirties. Women in their forties were also attracted by Makoli’s possible effect to alleviate constipation.