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The effects of eel biscuits on nutritional intake of hospitalized children.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Support from fortified food during hospitalization is an important factor to increase nutritional intakes of patients to meet nutritional needs and nutritional status. The objective of the study was to analyze the effects of eel biscuits on the nutritional intake of sick children.


METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN
The study had an experimental post-test design, and included 40 hospitalized children at Dr. Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung, who were selected by consecutive sampling. The inclusion criteria were children aged from 1 to 18 years old who received standard hospital food. The exclusion criteria were patients with fish allergies and those undergoing special diet therapy. The intervention was conducted for 5 days, in which the intervention group was given eel biscuits while the control group was given standard hospital snacks. The food intake was assessed using the food record and 24-hour recall methods. Unpaired t-test and Mann-Whitney test were used in data analysis.


RESULTS
There was an increase in nutritional intake from snacks in the intervention group, namely energy (p<0.001), protein (p<0.001), fat (p<0.001), carbohydrate (p=0.005), zinc (p=0.012), and vitamin A (p=0.046) intake. There was also a positive impact on the main meal intake, especially in protein (p=0.037), fat (p=0.032), and zinc (p=0.037) intake.


CONCLUSIONS
Consumption of eel biscuits to hospitalized children could increase their nutrient intake. Eel biscuits could be given as a snack to fulfill the nutritional requirements for sick children.