Hundreds of thousands with dementia suffer from malnutrition, says research

More attention needs to be focused on the problem of malnutrition in people living with dementia, according to a new report from Alzheimer’s Disease International and the contract foodservice company, Compass Group.

Previous studies reviewed in the report have shown that up to 45 per cent of those living with dementia (currently estimated to be around 800,000 in the UK) experience clinically significant weight loss over one year, and up to half of people with dementia in care homes have an inadequate food intake.

Commissioned to investigate how the right nutrition can help to make life better for people who live with dementia, the report highlights that reduced appetite and increased activity all play a part in contributing to malnutrition.

Leader of the team of researchers who prepared the report, Professor Martin Prince, from King’s College London, says: “This is a neglected area of research with important implications for quality of life, health and functioning. While weight loss in dementia is very common and can be an intrinsic part of the disease, it could be avoided and we should be doing more to tackle the problem.”

George McNamara, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “It is scandalous that hundreds of thousands of people living with dementia in the UK have been let down when it comes to something as basic as food and drink. It is vital to get the fundamentals of care right, and we need a wake-up call across our health and social care system.

“Malnutrition can be avoided by healthcare professionals doing simple things such as monitoring weight and nutrition. We also need to educate caregivers and care home staff, as dementia training can be the difference between someone starving and living well with the condition.”

The report also discusses how obesity in middle age may also be a risk factor for developing dementia in later life, and also that currently there is no evidence that nutritional supplements can affect someone’s chances of developing dementia.

The many recommendations made in the report include the adoption of nutritional standards of care for people with dementia throughout the health and social care sectors. These could include regular monitoring of weight, as well as assessments of diet and feeding behaviours, and the need for feeding assistance.

The report also details actions that could improve the nutrition of people with dementia through diet and external factors such as modifying the mealtime environment, and supporting and training carers. Given the evidence for effective interventions, there is much untapped potential to improve the food intake and nutritional status of people with dementia.