Assessment of the dietary intake among patients with Alzheimer’s disease in Kazakhstan

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundDietary intake alterations have been studied in relation to Alzheimer’s disease and have shown that a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low‐fat dairy products may be associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Traditionally, the Kazakh diet is high in protein, fats, and carbohydrates, and low in fruits and vegetables. With the increasing urbanization and globalization, the diet of Kazakhs is starting to change, and more people are starting to adopt a more Westernized diet which is higher in processed foods and sugar. However, little is known about dietary patterns in AD patients from the Central Asia region. Thus, the aim of the study was to identify dietary intake among local Alzheimer’s patientsMethodWe included 106 patients with AD dementia and 100 controls and retrospectively assessed the average intake over a given time period of foods and dishes in a defined food list using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The FETA tool was used to analyze nutrient and food group data from the questionnaireResultOur results demonstrate that AD patients’ diets are characterized by lower fruit, vegetable, and fish consumption compared to the controls. Patients with AD dementia did significantly differ from controls in total daily energy intake (1696 (IQR 1152;2168) vs 2019 (IQR 1424;2515) kcal/day, p > 0.05), in protein, total carbohydrate, and fats. The daily Vitamin C, D, E, and iodine intake was lower than recommended amounts in both groups.ConclusionAD patients in Kazakhstan have a diet with low income of fruits and vegetables which leads to certain nutrients and vitamin deficiencies. It is advised that patients follow a balanced diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources.