A comparison of the amount of food served and consumed according to meal service system

Background Malnutrition affects between 25 and 40% of all hospitalized pati ents, the majority of whom receive their main nutritional intake from the f ood provided by the hospital catering system. There is currently very littl e published information concerning the nutritional impact on patients of di fferent methods of catering service. Objective In the current study the effects of two catering service systems, plated and bulk service, on food and nutrient intake of hospital patients were compared. Methods One-hundred and eight patient meals were surveyed, 51 on the plated meal and 57 on the bulk meal services. Patients were tither on a general m edical or an orthopaedic ward. Weighed food intake data were collected by w eighing food served and comparing it to the weight of food left on the plat e. Equal numbers of lunch and supper dishes were weighed. Also, a number of weekend surveys were carried out to take into account variation in service at weekends. Results Food wastage was greater with the plated system, Comparing the amou nt of energy and nutrients consumed by patients according to meal system: e nergy intakes were significantly lower with the plated system (414 +/- 33 k cal vs. 319 +/- 22 kcal, P < 0.004). Protein, fat and carbohydrate intakes were also significantly lower. The main reason for the observed differences was the higher total food intake of the main course of the bulk service me als. Energy intake from the main course was significantly higher among pati ents receiving bulk service meals (227 +/- 10 kcal vs. 165 +/- 14 kcal, P < 0.006). Conclusion Catering service systems can have a major impact on the nutritio nal intake of hospitalized patients.