Effectiveness of individual nutrition counselling for the prevention of undernutrition among elderly people living in depopulated areas: secondary analysis of a model project in Tsu city.

Objectives: To examine the effectiveness of nutrition counselling (NC) in preventing undernutrition in elderly people living in depopulated areas.

Design: Participants were elderly people aged at least 65 years living in a depopulated area. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires evaluating nutritional status, frailty and body composition at the start of the study, after a non-NC period (3-month control) and after an NC period (3-month intervention). During the NC period, participants attended monthly 1-hour NC sessions over 3 months. Sessions were conducted in three areas (A, B and C), and the schedule was staggered so that the NC period in one area was conducted simultaneously with the non-NC period of the next. All sessions within an area were attended by the same registered dietitian. Outcomes were assessed three times: before the non-NC period, after the non-NC period and after the NC period. The effects of NC were assessed by comparing the results between the non-NC and NC periods of all participants, using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel stratified test.

Outcome measures: The primary outcome was undernutrition, as determined by the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form. Secondary outcomes were Dietary Diversity Score (DVS), body weight and frailty. Body composition was also assessed.

Results: Of 106 individuals who joined the project, 61 completed the project and were analysed. The NC in this study had no effect on the primary outcome. DVS in area A was significantly higher after the NC period than after the non-NC period (p=0.012). Frailty in area C was significantly lower after the NC period than after the non-NC period (p=0.025). NC had no significant effects on the other outcomes.

Conclusions: NC improved food variety but did not improve nutritional status, frailty or body composition.