Soy-Enhanced Products can Increase Protein Intake of Long-Term Care Residents

Abstract The importance of sufficient protein intake of the elderly, especially those in long-term care facilities (LTCF), is well established. Marginal protein intake has been shown to result in loss of lean muscle mass and immune function. Soy is a complete, high quality protein, which can be added to a wide variety of products to enhance the texture and nutritional quality of foods such as meats, breads, desserts, and cereals. This study was conducted with 74 residents having a mean age of 78 years in a 460 bed LTCF. The study consisted of two, three-week cycle menus where either traditional or soy-enhanced cycle menus were served. During the soy enhanced weeks, four to six items per day from the traditional menus were replaced with similar soy-enhanced products, reaching a goal of 30 grams of soy per day. To determine amounts served, five random trays were selected and individual food items were weighed for each meal. Plate waste measurements from the 9,298 trays over the six-week study provided data on differences in acceptance of the respective cycle menus. Nutritional content of foods was calculated using the NDS system developed by the University of Minnesota. Data were subjected to an analysis of covariance to test for differences between the traditional and soy-enhanced menus regarding amount eaten, energy values, and protein values in matched meals. There was no significant difference in amount of food or energy consumed between study weeks, although the soy-enhanced products were more protein dense. The amount of protein consumed increased (p≤0.01) by 19.6% per day (13.2 grams) in the soy-enhanced compared with traditional menus. In conclusion, the energy and protein content of the foods consumed during the traditional and soy-enhanced weeks was comparable to that reported in the literature for similar populations. Soy-enhanced products incorporated into traditional LTCF menus can significantly enhance the overall protein consumption by the elderly.