If you are caring for an elderly loved-one, consider keeping their
refrigerator well stocked to keep them healthy. Sounds strange? Well a
newly published research letter in the August 12, 2000 issue of The Lancet
suggests this claim fairly accurate.
According to the report, “Elderly people with empty refrigerators are
more likely to be readmitted to the hospital after assessment compared
with patients with adequate refrigerator content.” Researchers from
Geneva University Hospital in Switzerland conducted the study. A total of
132 elderly patients (aged 65 and older) recently discharged from the
hospital for various aliments were studied. All received routine medical
visits in their homes at least once a month after their release from the
hospital. During the visits, medical researchers did a thorough assessment
of their refrigerator content; classifying it as adequate, inadequate or
empty.
A classification of adequate meant the seniors contained the
appropriate amounts of different food products to maintain proper
nutrition. An inadequate measure was based on refrigerators containing
rotten foods or outdated foods. An empty classification proposed there
were less than three different food products in the fridge.
Additional data collected included variables such as body mass index,
biological markers and nutrition. In addition, social data was collected
and proved to be a valuable measure. According to a report on
Aging-Related Statistics published in 2000 by the Federal Interagency
Forum, seniors who are socially active are more likely to have better
physical and mental health.
Patients were evaluated for at least three months, and the numbers and
exact dates of hospital admission were calculated within the figure. The
study recorded that of the 132 refrigerators assessed, 119 or 90% were
classified as having adequate or inadequate food content and 13 or 10%
were considered empty. The patients with an empty refrigerator, compared
to patients with a full refrigerator, did not differ in age, gender, body
mass index, or socially.
According to the findings, four or 31% of the patients with empty
refrigerators were admitted back into the hospital four weeks following
the conclusion of the assessments. Only 10 or 8% of those patients with a
full fridge had to be readmitted into the hospital.
The study concludes that the adjusted risk of being admitted was increased
threefold with an empty refrigerator.
The report suggests that future studies need to be completed in other
settings to help determine the impact on one’s health from an empty
refrigerator. However, caregivers may want to take notice of food content
in their loved-one’s home. The report does not give direction as to
which food products should be kept stocked up, just that the food product
should not be spoiled or outdated. The Food and Drug Administration’s
food pyramid is normally recommended for an adequate source of nutrition
for most people, except those on special diets.
