Protein Top-up Acceptability Study for Patients With Increased Protein Needs

The aim of this prospective, single-arm intervention study is to evaluate the acceptability (compliance, gastrointestinal tolerance, and palatability) to a low calorie, low volume, ready to use, high protein liquid in patients with elevated protein needs.

Increased protein needs are frequently observed in disease and can be difficult for patients to achieve where oral food intake is compromised.Where a standard ONS or enteral tube feed cannot meet the needs of patients, a modular feed can be added to the regimen, a low calorie, low volume, ready to use, high protein liquid may help meet protein needs while preventing caloric overfeeding. 40 patients will be recruited in an attempt to evaluate the acceptability (compliance, gastrointestinal tolerance, and palatability) to a low calorie, low volume, ready to use, high protein liquid in patients with elevated protein needs. After a 1-day baseline period to establish patients' acceptability, gastrointestinal tolerance, compliance and dietary intake with their currently prescribed nutritional regimen, each patient will receive the high protein liquid feed daily for 28 days.