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Research in health and quality of life

Nutrition and nutritional status in elderly people with intellectual disabilities

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.

Research questions

  1. Do older people with ID receive sufficient amounts of calories, proteins and fatty acids as specified by Dutch guidelines for healthy food intake?
  2. What is the prevalence of body underweight, overweight and obesity in older people with ID?
  3. What is the prevalence of risk factors for weight problems in older people with ID?
  4. What is the prevalence of clinical outcomes of weight problems in older people with ID (osteoporosis, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, peripheral atherosclerosis)?
  5. Are body weight problems in older people with ID associated with cognition, depression, locomotion and muscle strength?
  6. Are body weight problems in older people with ID associated with age, gender, level of intellectual disability, living conditions, and quality of life?
  7. What are the psychometric characteristics of the Mini Nutritional Assessment, a screening instrument for (risk of) malnutrition in a sample of older people with ID?