[Effects of a food delivery service on the nutritional status of elderly persons living at home alone].

Objective: The present study was carried out to determine whether a food delivery service can improve the nutritional status of elderly persons living at home alone.

Methods: The subjects were 74 elderly women (age range, 70-90 years; average age 80.2 +/- 3.6 years) living in T town, Miyazaki Prefecture. All were independent in activities of daily living and their nutritional status was individually evaluated using anthropometric, biochemical and dietary methods. We then compared the nutritional status between persons who used the delivery service for more than 3 months and persons who lived alone and did not use the delivery service or who lived with their families.

Results: Based on the anthropometric examination, all persons appeared to be in a good nutritional state. However, their total serum protein and albumin levels demonstrated some undernutrition. Total serum protein, albumin, total cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol were all higher in persons who received food from a delivery service than in the control group living alone. Persons who lived with their families had similar levels as persons using the delivery service. Individuals who lived alone tended to eat sweets more frequently than those with their families. The food delivery service resulted in a higher consumption of fat.

Conclusions: The nutritional status of elderly persons living alone may be improved by dishes high in fat delivered for lunch or supper. These results suggest that food delivery services run by municipalities are efficient for nutritional care.