A new research project in Denmark is exploring whether protein-rich, more sustainable meals and tailored nutritional support can help frail elderly people recover after illness.
When frail elderly people are hospitalised, they often lose their appetite, along with weight and muscle mass. This can make the road to recovery and a return to everyday life long and challenging.
The PLANT-AGE research project at Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital has received DKK 12 million from the Plant Foundation to explore how nutrition can support recovery while contributing to the green transition.
The researchers will follow frail elderly patients from hospital admission through to municipal rehabilitation, investigating whether protein-rich, more plant-based meals and targeted nutritional support can improve recovery.
The project will also explore how more plant-based meals can be introduced into the healthcare system without compromising patients’ nutritional needs, particularly their requirements for energy and protein.
We need to find ways to offer frail elderly people greener meals that also provide the nutrients they need. If we succeed, we can generate new knowledge that benefits both patients and the green transition
Charlotte Suetta, Professor and Senior Consultant at Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, who leads the research project.
Can greener meals support recovery?
The researchers are following 220 patients at risk of malnutrition, from hospital admission through to rehabilitation in their local municipalities. The aim is to determine whether protein-rich, predominantly plant-based meals can improve patients’ physical function and help prevent muscle loss during and after illness.
But the project goes beyond what is on the plate. In collaboration with researchers from the University of Copenhagen, the PLANT-AGE team will also investigate how the body responds during recovery from illness. Their analysis will include the gut microbiome, appetite regulation and markers of inflammation, helping to build a better understanding of how nutrition affects muscle function and recovery.
Ultimately, the researchers want to understand why some patients regain their strength faster than others and how nutritional interventions can be better tailored to individual needs.
From hospital admission to rehabilitation
Elderly patients currently spend an average of five days in hospital. Much of their recovery therefore takes place at home or in municipal rehabilitation and care facilities. This is why the PLANT-AGE project extends beyond the hospital setting.
“What makes this project unique is that it connects the green transition with patient care and research. We bring together the hospital kitchen, researchers and municipalities in one coordinated process centred on the patient. We have not seen this done before on this scale,” says Charlotte Suetta.
Local ingredients, new meals
As part of the project, the hospital kitchen will develop new protein-rich dishes using vegetables, legumes and other plant-based ingredients.
The meals are being developed in collaboration with local vegetable growers who supply organic produce, connecting the entire journey from field to plate.
Dietitians and other nutrition professionals will also support patients in meeting their nutritional needs throughout the recovery process.
The findings are expected to provide new insights into how diet and nutritional support can help frail elderly people regain their strength and return to everyday life after illness.
