In this project food intake and nutritional status of older people (≥50) with intellectual disabilities (ID) are studied, including related factors of under- and over-nutrition. A number of causes of suboptimal food intake in people with ID are known: dysphagia as a consequence of neurological dysfunction, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, eating disorders, and dental problems. In addition, depression and dementia may also be associated with food intake.
Reduced food intake may lead to a poor
nutritional state, which may lead to reduced quality of life and
increased morbidity and mortality. Poor
nutritional state is quite common in older people with ID. Although
evidence is currently lacking, it might be assumed that the
prevalence of poor nutritional state
in older people with ID is even higher than that of the ageing
population without ID or adults with ID, because ageing adds
specific age-related risk factors to the general risk factors for
poor nutritional state
in people with ID.