Nutrition
This involves a comprehensive mapping of food and meal services with an emphasis on cost, availability, and user-friendliness for the project’s target group. Assessment of hydration status is emphasized, which is often critically important and not easy to measure. In this regard, the team tests sensor technologies and assesses whether these can be useful in protecting older adults against dehydration. In addition, a PhD candidate with a background in nutrition is on board to work with both quantitative and qualitative dietary data.
In 2025, progress includes:
- REK approval has been granted for the Food Supply Study, which maps food and meal services for older adults with a focus on cost, availability, and user‑friendliness, and examines the impact on nutritional status, quality of life, and general health. Recruitment and data collection are in progress at the Research Unit for Health Surveys (RUHS), UiB.
- REK approval has been received for the Hydration Assessment Study, which emphasizes the usefulness of a hydration sensor for preventing dehydration in older adults.
- Content development has been planned for a nutrition education module that will be integrated into the ALIVE platform (WP5). The module will focus on several topics, including weight loss and malnutrition, hydration, and official dietary recommendations with emphasis on nutrients that are of particular relevance in the target group.