Technology-Delivered Medically Tailored Meals and Nutrition Education for Older Adults in the US: A Scoping Review

IF 2.3 3区医学 Q2 EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Pub Date : 2025-08-01 DOI:10.1016/j.jneb.2025.05.087

Nishat Tasnim Tabassum BS, Lesli Biediger-Friedman PhD, MPH, RDN, Cassandra Johnson PhD, MSPH

{"title":"Technology-Delivered Medically Tailored Meals and Nutrition Education for Older Adults in the US: A Scoping Review","authors":"Nishat Tasnim Tabassum BS, Lesli Biediger-Friedman PhD, MPH, RDN, Cassandra Johnson PhD, MSPH","doi":"10.1016/j.jneb.2025.05.087","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Access to adequate nutrition is essential for maintaining health and well-being in older adults. Many older adults may face nutrition challenges due to mobility limitations, chronic health conditions, social isolation and restricted access to food and nutrition. Technology-delivered, Medically Tailored Meals (MTMs) can provide personalized diet plans and nutrition education.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This scoping review synthesizes evidence on technology-based customized nutrition interventions for homebound older adults to examine their impact on food access and dietary adherence.</div></div><div><h3>Study Design, Settings, Participants</h3><div>This scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, systematically searching PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar for studies published from 2015 onward.</div></div><div><h3>Measurable Outcome/Analysis</h3><div>Eligible studies evaluated technology-delivered customized nutrition interventions for homebound adults and reported at least one nutrition, health, or food security outcome. Studies without tailored nutrition interventions, conducted outside the U.S., or did not focus on older adults were excluded. To ensure relevance to the U.S. senior nutrition programs, only studies conducted in the U.S. were included. The data extraction included study design, sample size, intervention type, reported outcomes and key findings, while synthesis categorized studies by intervention type, primary outcomes, and barriers to identify key themes and gaps.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 14 studies met the inclusion criteria including randomized controlled trials (n=7), quasi-experimental studies (n=6), and one cohort study. Interventions utilized mobile applications (n=3), digital meal ordering systems (n=4), telemedicine counseling (n=3), and medically tailored meal programs with digital education (n=4). Findings showed improved dietary intake (higher fruit/vegetable consumption, reduced sodium), enhanced health outcomes (better glycemic control, weight maintenance, fewer hospitalizations), and increased food security. Barriers to implementing technology delivered MTMs and nutrition education included digital literacy and cost, while facilitators were user-friendly technology and digital engagement.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Technology-delivered MTMs and nutrition education can provide essential nutritional support and accessibility for older adults. Future research needs include opportunities to explore the feasibility of offering MTMs and the facilitation of nutrition education and interventions through technology for programs serving older adults.</div></div><div><h3>Funding</h3><div>USHHS - Administration on Community Living</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50107,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior","volume":"57 8","pages":"Pages S39-S40"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1499404625002039","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Access to adequate nutrition is essential for maintaining health and well-being in older adults. Many older adults may face nutrition challenges due to mobility limitations, chronic health conditions, social isolation and restricted access to food and nutrition. Technology-delivered, Medically Tailored Meals (MTMs) can provide personalized diet plans and nutrition education.

Objective

This scoping review synthesizes evidence on technology-based customized nutrition interventions for homebound older adults to examine their impact on food access and dietary adherence.

Study Design, Settings, Participants

This scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, systematically searching PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar for studies published from 2015 onward.

Measurable Outcome/Analysis

Eligible studies evaluated technology-delivered customized nutrition interventions for homebound adults and reported at least one nutrition, health, or food security outcome. Studies without tailored nutrition interventions, conducted outside the U.S., or did not focus on older adults were excluded. To ensure relevance to the U.S. senior nutrition programs, only studies conducted in the U.S. were included. The data extraction included study design, sample size, intervention type, reported outcomes and key findings, while synthesis categorized studies by intervention type, primary outcomes, and barriers to identify key themes and gaps.

Results

A total of 14 studies met the inclusion criteria including randomized controlled trials (n=7), quasi-experimental studies (n=6), and one cohort study. Interventions utilized mobile applications (n=3), digital meal ordering systems (n=4), telemedicine counseling (n=3), and medically tailored meal programs with digital education (n=4). Findings showed improved dietary intake (higher fruit/vegetable consumption, reduced sodium), enhanced health outcomes (better glycemic control, weight maintenance, fewer hospitalizations), and increased food security. Barriers to implementing technology delivered MTMs and nutrition education included digital literacy and cost, while facilitators were user-friendly technology and digital engagement.

Conclusions

Technology-delivered MTMs and nutrition education can provide essential nutritional support and accessibility for older adults. Future research needs include opportunities to explore the feasibility of offering MTMs and the facilitation of nutrition education and interventions through technology for programs serving older adults.

Funding

USHHS - Administration on Community Living

查看原文本刊更多论文

技术为美国老年人提供医学定制膳食和营养教育：范围审查

获得充足的营养对于保持老年人的健康和福祉至关重要。由于行动不便、慢性健康状况、社会孤立以及获得食物和营养的机会有限，许多老年人可能面临营养方面的挑战。医疗量身订餐（MTMs）可以提供个性化的饮食计划和营养教育。目的：本综述综合了针对居家老年人的基于技术的定制营养干预措施的证据，以研究其对食物获取和饮食依从性的影响。研究设计、设置、参与者本综述遵循Arksey和O 'Malley的框架和PRISMA-ScR指南，系统地检索PubMed、MEDLINE和谷歌Scholar自2015年以来发表的研究。可测量的结果/分析符合条件的研究评估了为居家成年人提供的技术定制营养干预措施，并报告了至少一项营养、健康或食品安全结果。没有量身定制的营养干预的研究，在美国以外进行的，或者没有关注老年人的研究被排除在外。为了确保与美国老年人营养计划的相关性，只包括在美国进行的研究。数据提取包括研究设计、样本量、干预类型、报告结果和主要发现，而综合研究则根据干预类型、主要结果和障碍对研究进行分类，以确定关键主题和差距。结果14项研究符合纳入标准，包括随机对照研究（n=7）、准实验研究（n=6）和队列研究1项。干预措施包括移动应用程序（n=3）、数字订餐系统（n=4）、远程医疗咨询（n=3）和带有数字教育的医学定制膳食计划（n=4）。研究结果显示，改善了饮食摄入量（增加水果/蔬菜摄入量，减少钠摄入量），改善了健康状况（更好的血糖控制、体重维持、更少的住院治疗），并增加了粮食安全。实施技术提供的MTMs和营养教育的障碍包括数字素养和成本，而促进因素是用户友好的技术和数字参与。结论技术辅助的MTMs和营养教育可为老年人提供必要的营养支持和可及性。未来的研究需要包括探索提供MTMs的可行性，以及通过技术为老年人提供营养教育和干预的便利。住房及公共服务部-社区生活管理

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 医学-学科教育

CiteScore

4.20

自引率

11.50%

发文量

379

审稿时长

44 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB), the official journal of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, is a refereed, scientific periodical that serves as a global resource for all professionals with an interest in nutrition education; nutrition and physical activity behavior theories and intervention outcomes; complementary and alternative medicine related to nutrition behaviors; food environment; food, nutrition, and physical activity communication strategies including technology; nutrition-related economics; food safety education; and scholarship of learning related to these areas. The purpose of JNEB is to document and disseminate original research and emerging issues and practices relevant to these areas worldwide. The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior welcomes evidence-based manuscripts that provide new insights and useful findings related to nutrition education research, practice and policy. The content areas of JNEB reflect the diverse interests in nutrition and physical activity related to public health, nutritional sciences, education, behavioral economics, family and consumer sciences, and eHealth, including the interests of community-based nutrition-practitioners. As the Society''s official journal, JNEB also includes policy statements, issue perspectives, position papers, and member communications.