A scientific and reasonable nutritional diet can effectively improve nutritional status and enhance immunity, which is helpful for the prevention and treatment of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia. Therefore, there is a guideline of nutritional diet for the reference of the public and medical institutions.
1. Clinical nutritional dietary guidelines for patients with NCP
A. Nutritional diet for normal or convalescent patients
(1). Energy should be sufficient, the daily intake of cereal foods should be reached 250-400 g, which includes rice, flour, and miscellaneous grains; Sufficient protein should be ensured, mainly intake high-quality protein foods (150-200 g/day), such as lean meats, fishes, shrimps, eggs, soybeans, etc., and ensure have an egg per day, 300 g milk and dairy products (yoghurt can provide intestinal probiotics); increase the intake of essential fatty acids by various ways of cooking vegetable oils, especially monounsaturated fatty vegetable oil, the total fat energy ratio reaches 25-30% of the total dietary energy.
(2). Consume more fresh vegetables and fruits. Vegetables: more than 500 g/day, fruits: 200-350 g/day, eat more dark fruits and vegetables.
(3). Ensure adequate water intake. 1500-2000 ml/day, several times with small amount, mainly drink plain water or light tea.
(4). Resolutely and completely eradicate the consumption of wild animals, and eat less spicy foods.
(5). People with poor appetite, the elderly, and patients with chronic diseases can use nutrition-fortified foods, food for special medical purpose or nutrient supplements to properly supplement proteins and micronutrients such as vitamin B, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin D.
(6). Ensure adequate sleep and moderate physical activity, physical activity time is not less than 30 minutes, and properly increase the basking time.
B. Nutritional therapy for patients with severe syndromes
(1). It’s necessary to have meals with small amount and high frequency, liquid foods that are good for swallowing and digesting 6-7 times a day, and based diet on eggs, soybeans and its products, milk and dairy products, fruit juice and vegetable juice. Pay attention to supplement sufficient protein. During the gradual remission of the disease, patients can take semi-liquid foods, which are easy to chew and digest. As the disease is alleviated, the diet can be gradually transformed into normal.
(2). If foods fail to meet the nutritional requirements, enteral nutrition preparations (foods for special medical purpose) can be properly used under the guidance from doctors or clinical nutritionists. For critically ill patients who cannot normally eat by mouth, nasogastric tubes or nasal jejunum tubes can be placed, and nutrient solution can be pumped by gravity infusion or enteral nutrition infusion pump.
(3). In the case of insufficient or inadequate food and enteral nutrition, for patients with severe gastrointestinal dysfunction, parenteral nutrition is required to maintain basic nutritional requirements. In the early stages, it can reach 60%-80% of the nutritional intake. After the disease is alleviated, gradually adding energy and nutrients to reach the full amount.
(4). Patient nutrition plan should be made according to the physical conditions, the amount of access, liver and kidney function, and glucose and lipid metabolism.
2. Nutritional dietary guidelines for frontline workers
(1). Ensure adequate daily energy intake. Recommended energy intake for men and women are 2400-2700 kcal/day and 2100-2300 kcal/day, respectively.
(2). Ensure adequate high-quality protein intake, such as eggs, dairy, poultries and meats, fishes and shrimps, and soybeans.
(3). The diet should be light and not greasy, and can be seasoned with natural spices to increase the appetite of medical care personnel.
(4). Eat more foods that contains rich vitamin B, vitamin C, mineral and dietary fiber, rational combination of rice, noodles, vegetables and fruits, eat more dark vegetables and fruits, such as purple cabbage, carrot, tomato, apple, orange citrus and kiwifruit, and more fungi and algae foods, such as mushroom, fungus and kelp.
(5). The recommended water intake is 1500-2000 ml/day.
(6). Medical care personnel who have inadequate intake of diet can supplement enteral nutrition preparation (foods for special medical purpose) and milk powder, nutrients supplementation, and additional oral nutritional supplementary energy of 400-600 kcal/day to ensure the nutritional requirements.
(7). Take meals by individual serving, and avoid mixed meals to reduce the infection risk during meals.
(8). The leaders of hospital, nutrition departments, and diet management departments should reasonably design meals and provide nutrition guarantee depend on the local conditions and physical status of frontline workers.
3. Nutritional dietary guidelines for prevention and control in the general population
(1). It’s necessary to take diverse categories of foods, and based diet on cereal. Daily meals should include cereals, vegetables and fruits, poultries, meats, fishes, eggs, dairy, soybeans and nuts.
(2). Eat more vegetables and fruits, dairy products, and soybeans. Make sure you have vegetables in your every meal and eat fruits every day. Choose more dark fruits and vegetables. Consume a variety of dairy products, especially yoghurt, it’s equivalent to 300 g liquid milk per day. Eat appropriate amount of bean products and nuts regularly.
(3). Consume appropriate amount of fishes, poultries, eggs, and lean meats. Resolutely and completely eradicate the consumption of wild animals.
(4). Less salt and oil intake, control the intake of sugar and alcoholic beverages. Take light meals and avoid high-salt and fried foods. Adults should drink 7-8 glasses of plain water (1500-1700 ml) per day, it’s better to drink more water and tea. The intake volume of alcohol for men and women should be not more than 25 g and 15 g, respectively.
(5). It’s necessary to keep balance between eating and exercises, and keep health weight. It’s recommended to take exercises at home every day, and control total energy intake and maintain energy balance. Reduce sedentary time and have a break every hour.
(6). Prohibit wasting foods, and cooking meals based on the demands. Select fresh and safe foods and appropriate cooking methods. Separate raw foods from cooked foods. Learn to recognize food labeling and select foods reasonably.