Foodservice systems and mealtime models in rehabilitation: Scoping review.

This is a scoping review, so it maps what has been studied rather than proving that any foodservice or mealtime model improves patient outcomes. Quality appraisal was not conducted, so the included studies were not weighted by methodological rigour. Most included studies were observational and descriptive, and many had small, variable samples. Descriptions of foodservice systems and mealtime care were incomplete, so practice details may be missing. The review protocol was not registered, so search and selection decisions cannot be checked against a pre-specified plan. The search was limited to peer-reviewed English primary studies, and some quality improvement work may not have been published.

No conflict of interest was declared. The work was completed as part of the primary author's PhD and received no specific grant. The named funder is The University of Queensland.

Do not read this as evidence that protected mealtimes, communal dining, or fortified menus improve rehabilitation outcomes. The review found no studies testing changes to foodservice systems, and rehabilitation outcomes were reported in only 6 publications.