Outcome of a Targeted Nutritional Intervention Among Older Adults With Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease: The Nutrition Intervention Study

Abstract

A 6-month dietary intervention program was designed for community-dwelling older adults with Alzheimer's disease. Sixty-seven persons aged 70 years and above were recruited with their caregivers from six hospital memory and geriatric outpatient clinics, and allocated to intervention ( n = 34 dyads) or control group ( n = 33 dyads). Usual diet was assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire and current diet by two nonconsecutive diet recalls or records corroborated by caregivers, at recruitment (T1) and exit from the study (T2). Intervention participants received targeted dietary recommendations; control participants received Canada's Food Guide leaflets. The program was assessed using paired and independent t tests and nonparametric statistics. Fat intakes increased at T2 within intervention participants (54 ± 16 vs. 67 ± 23 g, p = .013), and there was a tendency for higher energy, protein, and calcium intakes at T2 within this group. Proportions with adequate protein intakes almost doubled from T1 to T2 in intervention group women ( p = .028) but decreased in female controls ( p = .030). Longer follow-up is necessary to determine persistence of benefits.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; caregiver; intervention; nutrition; older adults.