Guidelines On Standard And Therapeutic Diets In Hospitals

Aim. - Hospital food is subject to multiple constraints (meal production, organisation, health safety, environmental respect) that influence the meal tray offered to the patient. Multiple diets can add complexity and contribute to non-consumption of the meal. To avoid undernutrition, it appeared necessary to propose guidelines for foods and diets in hospitals.Methods. - These guidelines were developed using the Delphi method, as recommended by the HAS (French Authority of Health), based on a formal consensus of experts and led by a group of practitioners and dietitians from AFDN (French dietitian association) and SFNCM (French Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism).Results. - Twenty-three recommendations were considered appropriate and validated by a panel of 50 national experts, following 3 rounds of consultation, modifications and arguments. Recommendations aim to define in adults: 1/vocabulary related to food and diets in hospitals, 2/quantitative and qualitative food propositions, 3/nutritional prescription, 4/diet patterns and patient adaptations, 5/limiting restrictions to reduce unnecessary diets and without scientific evidence, 6/emphasizing the place of enriched and adapted diet for at risk and malnourished patients.Conclusion. - These guidelines will enable catering services and health-care teams, to rationalise hospital food and therapeutic food prescriptions, in order to focus on individual needs and tasty foods. (C) 2019 Societe francophone nutrition clinique et metabolisme (SFNCM). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.