Longitudinal Effects of a combined Nutritional and Fall Prevention Intervention in Older Adults

Abstract Background Falls and malnutrition are significant health challenges for older adults, leading to morbidity, reduced quality of life, and increased healthcare costs. Integrated strategies addressing both factors are crucial. This study evaluated the longitudinal effects of a targeted nutritional and fall-prevention intervention on fall risk and body mass index (BMI) in older adults. Methods The “Rome Tor Vergata” Reference Site for Active and Healthy Ageing organised Prevention Days for individuals aged 65 and older. This study enrolled 170 patients mean age 79.7 (SD ± 6.7). At baseline, participants underwent a comprehensive assessment of fall risk and BMI. At the enrollment participants received individualized nutritional counseling and suggestions about fall-prevention strategies. Fall risk and BMI were re-assessed an average time of 7.5 months (SD ± 2.4). The primary objective was to determine the intervention's efficacy in improving nutritional status (via BMI) and reducing fall risk. Results At the follow up, statistically significant improvements were observed. Analysis of BMI class changes among the patients revealed that 85.6% remained stable, 9.9% improved, and 4.5% worsened. The analysis of fall incidence was performed on the subsample of people who fell in the six months prior to enrollment or who received an intervention or adapted physical activity suggestion. The analysis showed a significant reduction in the proportion of fallers from baseline (32/66) at the follow-up (22/66), as demonstrated by the McNemar test (p = 0.03). Conclusions These findings underscore the effectiveness of a combined nutritional and fall-prevention intervention in improving nutritional outcomes and reducing fall risk in older adults. Scaling up such integrated strategies is crucial for preventing negative events in this population, and potentially reducing access to hospital care. Key messages • A combined nutritional and fall-prevention intervention significantly reduced fall rates and improved BMI stability in older adults. • The study supports the scale-up of integrated care approaches to boost health and reduce hospital visits among older adults.