Oral nutritional supplements for older adults Original paper
In this meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials in 1,320 older adults, oral nutritional supplements (ONS; e.g., Ensure) improved anthropometrics and functional outcomes.
This Study Summary was published on March 25, 2025.
The study
The participants were men and women with average ages of 62 to 84. The ONS administered were liquid formulas that provided 150 to 1,000 calories daily. In most trials, the comparator was no intervention. The trial duration ranged from 8 to 24 weeks.
Compared to the control, ONS increased body weight (+1.3 kg or +2.9 lbs; moderate certainty), BMI (+0.36; low certainty), calf circumference (+0.3 cm or +0.1 in; low certainty), grip strength (+1 kg or +2.2 lbs; low certainty), and walking speed (+0.04 meters/second; moderate certainty). They also increased the daily caloric intake (+130 calories) and daily protein intake (+8 grams).
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The results
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This Study Summary was published on March 25, 2025.