Hospital admissions in poorly nourished, compared with well‐nourished, older S outh A ustralians receiving ‘ M eals on W heels’: Findings from a pilot study

Aim To evaluate whether ‘ M eals on W heels’ ( MOW ) improves health and reduces hospital admissions in poorly nourished ( PN ) older people. Methods Two hundred and fifty older S outh A ustralians were retrospectively classified: (i) PN ( MNA score < 24) receiving MOW ( MOW PN ); (ii) PN not receiving MOW (non‐ MOW PN ); and (iii) well‐nourished ( WN ). Data regarding their health were compared. Results Health outcomes at baseline for MOW PN and non‐ MOW PN were not different, but both were worse than the WN . Over 12 months, weight loss was ∼2–3 times greater in both PN than WN groups. Hospital admissions were not different for MOW PN compared with non‐ MOW PN and WN , but non‐ MOW PN had 2.9 as many admissions and spent 5 days more in hospital than WN (all P s < 0.05). Conclusion Providing MOW to nutritionally vulnerable older people may not prevent age‐related decline in health, although a potential reduction in hospital admissions warrants investigation.