Nutrition therapy with oral nutritional supplements for disease-related malnutrition

Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) are nutritional products which can be prescribed to patients as one part of the nutrition therapy for disease-related malnutrition. In Sweden, dietitians are the primary prescribers of ONS to outpatients and those products are subsidized in all Swedish regions.

The overall aim of the thesis ”Oral nutritional supplements within the nutrition therapy – prescription and adherence from a dietetic practice perspective" (2021), was to increase knowledge on and deepen understanding on ONS prescription and adherence.

The work with the thesis raised additional questions and now we are continuing exploring treatment dilemmas experienced by Swedish dietitians when prescribing ONS.  

In collaboration with Umeå University, we lead the work on an extensive systematic literature review regarding barriers and facilitators to adherence to ONS.