A nutritional education program could prevent weight loss and slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease
Rivière, S.; Gillette-Guyonnet, S.; Voisin, T.; Reynish, E.; Andrieu, S.; Lauque, S.; Salva, A.; Frisoni, G.; Nourhashemi, F.; Micas, M.; Vellas, B.
Journal of Nutrition Health and Aging 5(4): 295-299
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 1279-7707 PMID: 11753499 Document Number: 531726
Objective: To determine if a nutritional education programme can prevent weight loss in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients recruited from Toulouse (France), Brescia (Italy) and Mataro (Spain). Subjects: 151 AD patients and their caregivers were enrolled to follow the intervention from January to June 1998, and 74 AD patients and their caregivers constituted the control group. Method: Caregivers in the intervention group followed 9 nutritional sessions of one hour each over one year. Caregivers in the control group did not follow any sessions but were offered advice provided in a normal follow-up. The weight, nutritional state, cognitive function, autonomy, mood, behaviour disorders of patients at baseline and at 6- and 12-month follow-up were examined. The burden, nutritional and AD knowledge of caregivers at baseline and at 12-month follow-up were determined. Results: During the 12-month follow-up, the mean weight increased in the intervention group (0.7+or-3.6 kg), whereas it decreased in the control group (-0.7+or-5.4 kg); P<0.05. The nutritional status (MNA) was maintained in the intervention group (0.3+or-2.6), whereas it decreased significantly in the control group (-1.0+or-3.4); P<0.005. After adjustment for baseline differences (caregiver age, nutritional state, eating behaviour disorders, depression) between the 2 groups, the weight change between the 2 groups was not significant (0.6+or-0.4 kg (intervention group) vs. -0.6+or-0.6 kg (control group)). However, the percentage of patients with significant weight loss was decreased. The MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination) change was significant between the 2 groups: -2.3+or-0.3 (intervention group) vs. -3.4+or-0.4 (control group), P<0.05. Conclusions: These results suggest that a nutritional educational programme intended for caregivers of AD patients could have a positive effect on the weight and cognitive function of patients.