It aims to establish nutritional standards among the elderly in Singapore and plug gaps in knowledge on an Asian population. A two-year nutrition based study will be conducted by the…

It aims to establish nutritional standards among the elderly in Singapore and plug gaps in knowledge on an Asian population.

A two-year nutrition based study will be conducted by the new Nutritional Health for the Elderly Reference Centre, a partnership between Changi General Hospital and healthcare company Abbott.

It aims to establish nutritional standards among the elderly in Singapore and plug gaps in knowledge on an Asian population.

The study will involve 1,200 residents aged 65 and above. Half of them will be recruited by SingHealth’s polyclinics in Marine Parade, Tampines and Bedok, while the rest will be patients discharged from CGH. Recruitment begins in September and will take place over nine months.

Some participants will undergo tests to measure the amount of minerals in their blood and perform exercises to measure strength. Researchers will also follow up with participants via phone calls and provide dietary counselling.

The researchers want to create a database on the elderly in Singapore for reference, to guide clinicians and scientists on their nutritional standards. This could provide more accurate diagnosis, screening and monitoring of outcomes for treatment or intervention.