Poor appetite and growth differentiation factor-15 as predictors of insufficient energy and protein intake during and after hospitalization in older adults with acute medical illness: Exploratory analysis of a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Poor appetite is a key contributor to malnutrition in older adults, partly due to reduced dietary intake. While nutritional deficits are well recognized, the biological mechanisms driving poor appetite remain incompletely understood. Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15) and the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ) may help identify patients at risk of insufficient intake. This study examines the association between GDF-15 and insufficient energy and protein intake and evaluates the predictive performance of GDF-15 and SNAQ - individually and in combination - to identify insufficient energy and protein intake (