Poor Activities of Daily Living Predict Future Weight Loss in Older Adults After Hospital Discharge—Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Trial

Abstract

This study examined whether participants with poor activities of daily living (ADLs) at hospital discharge had increased weight loss after 6 months of follow-up and whether nutrition therapy can prevent this weight loss. This dietary randomized controlled trial (N = 104) examined community-dwelling older adults (66–95 years) discharged from hospital and at risk for malnutrition, receiving either 6 months of nutrition therapy (intervention) or only standard care (control). ADL was assessed using seven questions on self-care based on the Katz et al.’s method. At discharge, 45 (43%), 36 (35%), and 23 (22%) had high, medium, and poor ADL, respectively, with no differences between the control and intervention groups according to chi-square test. Participants in the control group with poor ADL had significantly higher weight loss than participants with high ADL (age- and sex-adjusted analysis of covariance: 3.6 kg; 95% confidence interval [1.0, 6.1] kg, p = .007). No such difference was observed in the intervention group. Participants with poor ADL at hospital discharge develop lower body weight by around 3.5 kg 6 months later when compared with participants with high ADL. Receiving nutrition therapy could help older adults with poor ADL to maintain body weight after hospital discharge.