Abstract
The effect of malnutrition beyond morbidity and mortality has become a critical area of investigation in older people with an increased focus on quality-of-life (QoL), but as yet the relationship between malnutrition and QoL remains to be reviewed in older people from aged care settings. The current study conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses of studies published between the years 1995 and 2020 examining the relationship between nutritional status and QoL or the effects of a nutrition-based intervention on QoL in older people in residential aged care. Based on searches of the databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Emcare, and Embase, 21 studies were identified. Meta-analyses of the cross-sectional and quasi-experimental studies revealed a significant positive relationship between nutritional status and QoL and that nutritional intervention significantly improved QoL. By contrast, meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials revealed a non-significant but improved trend post-intervention in QoL. Although the effect sizes were small, the present findings indicate that nutrition-based interventions improve QoL in older people in residential aged care and align with previous reviews based on findings from other aged settings. Future research is needed to determine causality and to better identify and control for confounding factors which may influence both nutritional status and QoL.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
