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Food IntakeJBHNCT04445883

Evaluating the Impact of the Eating Matters Program on the Nutritional Status of Medical Rehab Patients at Joseph Brant Hospital

A study testing Feeding Assistance in people with Food Intake, run by Joseph Brant Hospital at 1 site in Canada.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

This research study will determine the impact of the Eating Matters Program on the nutritional status of elderly patients at Joseph Brant Hospital. The Eating Matters Program at Joseph Brant Hospital is a volunteer-based feeding assistance program that aims to improve patients' nutritional intake by providing… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 65 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Food Intake
What is being tested?
Feeding Assistance
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
80 participants
Where
1 siteCanada
Study dates
20 Jun 2024to 30 Oct 2025
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 65 years and older
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Patients 65 years and over admitted to Medicine and Rehabilitation units at Joseph Brant Hospital with an anticipated stay 10-14 days
  • Patients with a Subjective Global Assessment score of B or C, and identified to require eating assistance
  • Patients able to provide consent or have a Power of Attorney to do so on their behalf

Who cannot join

  • Patients that are NPO status (nothing by mouth)
  • Patients that require enteral or total parenteral feeding
  • Palliative care patients
  • Severe cognitive impairment

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Canada1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Joseph Brant Hospital

    Burlington, Ontario, L7S 0A2

    Diala Chayab, MPH, RD, 905-632-3737 ext. 5511, dchayab@josephbranthospital.ca

    Recruiting

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: Evaluating the Impact of a Volunteer Based Mealtime Assistance Program on the Nutritional Status of Patients at Joseph Brant Hospital in Ontario, Canada

This research study will determine the impact of the Eating Matters Program on the nutritional status of elderly patients at Joseph Brant Hospital. The Eating Matters Program at Joseph Brant Hospital is a volunteer-based feeding assistance program that aims to improve patients' nutritional intake by providing assistance during mealtimes. As research on the impact of such programs on food intake is limited in Canada, this study will explore how the Eating Matters Program influences protein and energy intake of patients at Joseph Brant Hospital. Further, this study will explore if the hypothesized increase in protein and energy intake with the initiation of the Eating Matters Program is correlated with a decreased risk of malnutrition.

Read the detailed description

We will be conducting a prospective open-label non-randomized controlled trial to evaluate patients' nutritional outcomes in units that have the Eating Matters Program available (Study Group A) vs. similar units that do not have this program (Control Group B), as this can provide useful data on the effectiveness of such programs in developing innovative prevention strategies to address hospital malnutrition.

A total sample size of eighty participants (40 in each group) will be included in this study from Medical and Rehabilitation units at Joseph Brant Hospital. Study group A will include patients from the medical unit on 6S100 in addition to the Rehab units on 6N400/500. Control Group B will include participants from the Rehab Unit on 4N400 and the Medical unit on 6S200. Baseline food intake data (including breakfast, lunch and dinner) will be gathered during a 2-day period for both Study Group A and Control Group B. Following the collection of baseline data, feeding assistance will then be provided to participants in the units that have the EMP program available (6S100 and 6N400/500). In addition, food intake will be recorded for a total of 6 days for both Study Group A, and Control Group B. Outcome measures including C-reactive protein and weight will be measured weekly. Following, a Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) will be completed and Hand Grip Strength will be recorded on days 1 and 18 as the literature shows that this is an appropriate timeframe to reassess these measures (Flood et al., 2014; Canadian Malnutrition Task Force, 2019). Energy and protein intake will then be calculated using visual estimation by completion of the My Meal Intake Tool, and the hospital's CBORD software. Further, to evaluate the success of the feeding assistance program, volunteers will distribute the feedback survey to patients, staff, family members or friends of participants. To prevent contamination from staff working on both sides, members of the research team will have a discussion with staff to explain that the study and potential benefits should not be discussed, as this may impact the research findings.

Conditions
Food Intake
Being tested
Feeding Assistance

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Feeding AssistanceBehavioural

    Patients will be receiving assistance during mealtimes. This includes assistance by opening packages, listing/explaining the food products on the tray, providing encouragement and companionship during mealtimes and directly feed patients.

Study groups in NCT04445883
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Study Group AExperimentalStudy group A will include patients from the medical unit on 6S100 in addition to the Rehab units on 6N400/500. Participants in Study Group A will be receiving mealtime assistance from volunteers via the Eating Matters Program.
Receives: Behavioral: Feeding Assistance
Control Group BNo interventionControl Group B will include participants from the Rehab Unit on 4N400 and the Medical unit on 6S200.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Dietary Intake

    Protein and Energy Intake

    Measured: To assess a change from baseline to energy and protein intake post program initiation at the one and two week mark (+/-2days).

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted24 Jun 2020
  2. Study start20 Jun 2024
  3. Primary completion30 Sep 2025 (estimated)
  4. Study completion30 Oct 2025 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Non-randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
The investigators will be evaluating patients' nutritional outcomes in units that have the Eating Matters Program available vs. similar units that do not have this program. Therefore, there will be two groups, Study Group A and Control Group B.
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
80 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04445883
Sponsor's protocol ID
JosephBrantH
Acronym
JBH
Status last verified
Aug 2025
First submitted
15 May 2020
Last updated
27 Aug 2025
Results posted
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: The sponsor will comply with data sharing processes according to local laws and regulations. Aggregate study results will be reported on clinicaltrials.gov. Anonymized study IPD can only be shared upon request from a regulator, an ethics committee board or by a healthcare professional for future research purposes.

Publications

  • Allard JP, Keller H, Teterina A, Jeejeebhoy KN, Laporte M, Duerksen DR, Gramlich L, Payette H, Bernier P, Davidson B, Lou W. Lower handgrip strength at discharge from acute care hospitals is associated with 30-day readmission: A prospective cohort study. Clin Nutr. 2016 Dec;35(6):1535-1542. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2016.04.008. Epub 2016 Apr 13.

    PubMed 27155939
  • Allard JP, Keller H, Jeejeebhoy KN, Laporte M, Duerksen DR, Gramlich L, Payette H, Bernier P, Davidson B, Teterina A, Lou W. Decline in nutritional status is associated with prolonged length of stay in hospitalized patients admitted for 7 days or more: A prospective cohort study. Clin Nutr. 2016 Feb;35(1):144-152. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2015.01.009. Epub 2015 Jan 21.

    PubMed 25660316
  • Barker LA, Gout BS, Crowe TC. Hospital malnutrition: prevalence, identification and impact on patients and the healthcare system. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2011 Feb;8(2):514-27. doi: 10.3390/ijerph8020514. Epub 2011 Feb 16.

    PubMed 21556200
  • Bharadwaj S, Ginoya S, Tandon P, Gohel TD, Guirguis J, Vallabh H, Jevenn A, Hanouneh I. Malnutrition: laboratory markers vs nutritional assessment. Gastroenterol Rep (Oxf). 2016 Nov;4(4):272-280. doi: 10.1093/gastro/gow013. Epub 2016 May 11.

    PubMed 27174435
  • Curtis LJ, Valaitis R, Laur C, McNicholl T, Nasser R, Keller H. Low food intake in hospital: patient, institutional, and clinical factors. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2018 Dec;43(12):1239-1246. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2018-0064. Epub 2018 May 8.

    PubMed 29738268
  • Curtis LJ, Bernier P, Jeejeebhoy K, Allard J, Duerksen D, Gramlich L, Laporte M, Keller HH. Costs of hospital malnutrition. Clin Nutr. 2017 Oct;36(5):1391-1396. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2016.09.009. Epub 2016 Sep 19.

    PubMed 27765524
  • Eckert KF, Cahill LE. Malnutrition in Canadian hospitals. CMAJ. 2018 Oct 9;190(40):E1207. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.180108. No abstract available.

    PubMed 30301744
  • Edwards D, Carrier J, Hopkinson J. Assistance at mealtimes in hospital settings and rehabilitation units for patients (>65years) from the perspective of patients, families and healthcare professionals: A mixed methods systematic review. Int J Nurs Stud. 2017 Apr;69:100-118. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2017.01.013. Epub 2017 Jan 30.

    PubMed 28199923
  • Flood A, Chung A, Parker H, Kearns V, O'Sullivan TA. The use of hand grip strength as a predictor of nutrition status in hospital patients. Clin Nutr. 2014 Feb;33(1):106-14. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2013.03.003. Epub 2013 Mar 27.

    PubMed 23615623
  • Marsik C, Kazemi-Shirazi L, Schickbauer T, Winkler S, Joukhadar C, Wagner OF, Endler G. C-reactive protein and all-cause mortality in a large hospital-based cohort. Clin Chem. 2008 Feb;54(2):343-9. doi: 10.1373/clinchem.2007.091959. Epub 2007 Dec 21.

    PubMed 18156283
  • Manning F, Harris K, Duncan R, Walton K, Bracks J, Larby L, Vari L, Jukkola K, Bell J, Chan M, Batterham M. Additional feeding assistance improves the energy and protein intakes of hospitalised elderly patients. A health services evaluation. Appetite. 2012 Oct;59(2):471-7. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2012.06.011. Epub 2012 Jun 23.

    PubMed 22735333
  • Sandhaus S, Zalon ML, Valenti D, Dzielak E, Smego RA Jr, Arzamasova U. A volunteer-based Hospital Elder Life Program to reduce delirium. Health Care Manag (Frederick). 2010 Apr-Jun;29(2):150-6. doi: 10.1097/HCM.0b013e3181daa2a0.

    PubMed 20436332
  • Walton K, Williams P, Bracks J, Zhang Q, Pond L, Smoothy R, Tapsell L, Batterham M, Vari L. A volunteer feeding assistance program can improve dietary intakes of elderly patients--a pilot study. Appetite. 2008 Sep;51(2):244-8. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2008.02.012. Epub 2008 Feb 17.

    PubMed 18387692

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Feeding Assistance in people with Food Intake, run by Joseph Brant Hospital at 1 site in Canada.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Aug 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Diala Chayab, MPH, RD (9056323737 ext. 5511, dchayab@josephbranthospital.ca), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Dietary Intake (time frame: To assess a change from baseline to energy and protein intake post program initiation at the one and two week mark (+/-2days).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04445883, which also lists 13 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Aug 2025.

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