Table 2 Comparison of nutritional states related variables between the two groups before and after intervention (N = 90)

experimental group

45

7.08 ± 2.58

9.04 ± 2.64 a

22.48 ± 11.35

17.6 ± 6.87 a

31.13 ± 8.84

23.74 ± 6.97 a

118.5 ± 13.2

86.8 ± 11.7 b

control group

45

7.64 ± 2.03

7.83 ± 2.76 c

21.98 ± 10.30

21.53 ± 8.78 c

30.26 ± 7.61

29.45 ± 9.61 c

121.6 ± 12.9

118.1 ± 9.8 c

T value

− 1.144

2.125

0.219

− 2.365

0.500

− 3.227

− 1.127

− 11.560

P value

0.256

0.036

0.827

0.020

0.618

0.002

0.263

0.000

experimental group

45

17.98 ± 5.26

21.89 ± 7.61a

21.48 ± 2.21

22.07 ± 3.61 c

6.54 ± 2.12

7.17 ± 3.41 c

6.74 ± 1.79

7.43 ± 2.52 c

control group

45

18.64 ± 6.02

19.27 ± 2.80 c

22.17 ± 3.53

22.39 ± 2.41 c

7.01 ± 2.97

6.95 ± 3.13 c

7.24 ± 2.39

7.16 ± 2.43 c

T value

− 0.554

2.168

− 1.111

− 0.495

− 0.864

0.319

− 1.123

0.517

P value

0.581

0.033

0.269

0.622

0.390

0.751

0.264

0.606