Meals on Wheels, the Effect of a Home Food-delivery Service for Cancer Patients

Despite the fact that nutritional deterioration has been associated with patients' functional impairment, the effect of individualized nutritional support or counselling to outpatients, focussing on ordinary food, have not yet been thoroughly explored (Ravasco P. et al. 2007). A few studies have investigated the effect of nutritional counselling on quality of life (QoL) in cancer patients after discharge (Ovesen et al. 1993, Persson et al. 2002, Isenring et al. 2004, Ravasco et al. 2005a, Ravasco et al. 2005b). However, there is to our knowledge not conducted any studies examining the effect of home delivered meals on QoL and other endpoints in outpatients suffering from cancer. The overall objective of the study is to measure the effect of energy- and protein enriched home delivered meals vs. habitual diet in malnourished outpatients diagnosed with lung cancer. The intervention diet will consist of optional protein- and energy-dense main and in-between-meals. There will be 22 different main meals and 13 in-between meals to choose between. The meals are prepared by The Nordic Kitchen of Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev. The offered main meals will consist of a selection of warm dishes taken from the ordinary menu. The in-between meals are a collection of the Delights of Herlev (dishes previously shown to increase dietary intake among in-patients). The food will be delivered to the participants' home 3 times per week, and participants can order one warm dish and ad libitum in-between meals for each day.