Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2008 Aug-Sep;12(7):461-9.
doi: 10.1007/BF02982707.

Dietary intervention in older adults with early-stage Alzheimer dementia: early lessons learned

B Shatenstein  1 , M -J Kergoat, I Reid, M E Chicoine
Affiliations
Review

Dietary intervention in older adults with early-stage Alzheimer dementia: early lessons learned

B Shatenstein et al. J Nutr Health Aging. 2008 Aug-Sep.

Abstract

In older adults, an adequate diet depends on their ability to procure and prepare food and eat independently or the availability of dietary assistance when needed. Inadequate food intake or increased nutritional requirements lead to poor nutritional status, which is considered a key determinant of morbidity, increased risk of infection, and mortality in elderly individuals. Weight loss among seniors also heralds increased morbidity and mortality. Dietary behaviour disorders affecting food consumption, nutrition status and maintenance of body weight are common in older adults, and have a substantial impact on nutritional status and quality of life among older adults with Alzheimer Dementia (AD). The Nutrition Intervention Study (NIS) is ongoing. It employs a quasi-experimental pre-post intervention design in physically-well, community-dwelling early stage AD patients aged 70 y or older. To date, 34 intervention group patients and 25 control group participants have been recruited with their primary caregivers (CG) from 6 hospital-based memory and geriatric clinics in Montreal. The NIS uses clinical dietetics principles to develop and offer tailored dietary strategies to patients and their CG. This paper reports on the application of dietary intervention strategies in two intervention group participants; one was deemed successful while the other was considered unsuccessful. The report documents challenges encountered in assessing and counselling this clientele, and seeks to explain the outcome of intervention in these patients.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Case study 1, Nutrition Intervention Study (NIS)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Case study 2, Nutrition Intervention Study (NIS)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Case study, 1 Nutrition Intervention Study (NIS) - Nutrition intervention plan for Mrs. R
Figure 4
Figure 4
Case study 1, Nutrition Intervention Study (NIS) – Notes from patient/CG follow-up
Figure 5
Figure 5
Case study 2, Nutrition Intervention Study (NIS): Nutrition intervention plan for Mrs. M
Figure 6
Figure 6
Case study 2, Nutrition Intervention Study (NIS) – Notes on patient/CG follow-up
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Gillette Guyonnet S, Van Kan Abellan G, Andrieu S, Barberger Gateau P, Berr C, Bonnefoy M, Dartigues JF, de Groot L, Ferry M, Galan P, Hercberg S, Jeandel C, Morris MC, Nourhashemi F, Payette H, Poulain JP, Portet F, Roussel AM, Ritz P, Rolland Y, Vellas B. IANA task force on nutrition and cognitive decline with aging. J Nutr Health Aging. 2007;11(2):132–152. PubMed PMID: 17435956. - PubMed
    1. Bates CJ, Benton D, Biesalski HK, Staehelin HB, van Staveren W, Stehle P, Suter PM, Wolfram G. Nutrition and aging: A consensus statement. J Nutr Health & Aging. 2002;6(2):103–116. - PubMed
    1. Morley JE, Silver AJ, Fiatarone M, et al. Geriatric grand rounds: Nutrition and the elderly. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1986;34:823–832. PubMed PMID: 3095411. - PubMed
    1. Wallace J, Schwartz R. Involuntary weight loss in elderly outpatients: recognition, etiologies, and treatment. Clin Geriatr Med. 1997;13(4):717–735. PubMed PMID: 9354751. - PubMed
    1. Ryan C, Bryant E, Eleazer P, Rhodes A, Guest K. Unintentional weight loss in long-term care: predictor of mortality. South Med.J. 1995;88(7):721–724. PubMed PMID: 7597475. - PubMed