Nutrition intervention goals from the perspectives of patients at risk of malnutrition: A qualitative study

Aims: Nutrition counselling is characterized by a collaborative approach whereby the patient and the dietitian establish goals that promote health and self-management.  Little is known about goal-setting in nutrition interventions of patients at risk of malnutrition. This study describes the perspectives and needs of patients at risk of malnutrition regarding goals of nutrition interventions.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 patients from three primary care centres and one hospital in mid-Sweden. Interview transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify themes and patterns in the data. Results: Findings highlight that the participants rarely reflected on their personal goals of the nutrition intervention. Instead, they strived to maintain strength and energy, with the nutrition counselling being seen as supportive in managing nutrition impact symptoms. They described discrepancies between their perspectives and the dietitian’s regarding weight goals and the diet prescribed to gain weight.Conclusion: Elucidating patients’ goals is key to counteracting the discrepancies between the dietitians’ clinically oriented goals and patients’ perspectives. New strategies and tools that support collaborative goal-setting in nutrition interventions are needed to provide person-centred nutrition care.