Nutritional Quality and Osmolality of Home-made Enteral Diets, and Follow-up of Growth of Severely Disabled Children Receiving Home Enteral Nutrition Therapy

Abstract

This study evaluated the nutritional quality of home-made enteral diets and their effect on growth parameters. Thirty pediatric patients receiving only homemade enteral diets were enrolled. Samples of milk-based (MB) and soup-based (SP) feeds were taken for chemical analyses. The children's anthropometric indexes were assessed. In the MB, the measured values for the macronutrients and energy corresponded to approximately 70% of the prescribed values. Conversely, the SP measured values corresponded to less than 50% of the prescribed values, except for carbohydrate. The prevalence of underweight was 30% (9/30) at the time of entry into home nutritional therapy and declined to 20% (6/30) at the time of the study (p = 0.007). Stunting increased throughout the follow up, from 30% (9/30) to 53% (16/30; p = 0.511). Obesity prevalence fell from 17% (4/23) to 9% (2/23; p < 0.001). Despite their inconsistent levels of macronutrients and energy, home-made enteral diets had no negative effect on the patients' weights.

Qualidade nutricional e microbiológica de dietas enterais artesanais padronizadas preparadas nas residências de pacientes em terapia nutricional domiciliar

“…Resíduos retidos no processo de peneiramento também podem alterar sua composição 17 . Em dietas enterais artesanais preparadas no domicílio, com alimentos in natura, os valores de macronutrientes e energia podem corresponder a menos de 50% dos valores prescritos 21 , resultando em administração imprecisa dos nutrientes.…”

Homemade diet versus diet industrialized for patients using alternative feeding tube at home- an integrative review

“…The studies origin may interfere in this issue, since the works with such type of diets are mainly from developing countries (15)(16)(17)(21)(22)(23)25,26) that opt for using homemade diets, with fresh food, due to costs generated by industrialized diets.…”

“…The advantages of using homemade enteral feeding comprise flexibility, with choice of suitable foods from the nutritional point of view; maintenance of the physical and chemical characteristics and fiber content; psychosocial recovery values for the feeding process, since meals can be prepared by the family using conventional foods (17,21,23,25,26). However, the disadvantages can be harmful to those receiving it, as studies show lower nutritional values in relation to the nutritional needs of the patients, due to seasonality, geographic origin, storage and food processing, leading to reduced caloric density, inadequate levels of macronutrients, vitamins and minerals, increased osmolarity and a condition which promotes bacterial growth (17,21,23,25,26).…”

“…However, the disadvantages can be harmful to those receiving it, as studies show lower nutritional values in relation to the nutritional needs of the patients, due to seasonality, geographic origin, storage and food processing, leading to reduced caloric density, inadequate levels of macronutrients, vitamins and minerals, increased osmolarity and a condition which promotes bacterial growth (17,21,23,25,26).…”

“…Likewise, Santos and Morais (2010) (23) found that the measured values for macronutrients and energy accounted for about 70% of the amounts predicted on a homemade enteral milkbased feeding for children, and when the base of the enteral diet was changed to soup, the measured values were below 50% of the prescribed, except for carbohydrates.…”