Abstract
ObjectivePersons with dementia are at risk of malnutrition, evidenced by low dietary intake, which has consequences for nutritional status, activity of daily living and disease progression. The effects of oral nutrition supplements (ONS) on nutritional intake, nutritional status, and cognitive and physical outcomes in older persons with dementia were evaluated. MethodsPubMed, Medline, Embase, CINAHL and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched in December 2017, and this was repeated in May 2019. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Analysis (PRISMA) checklist was used. Papers were considered if they presented experimental clinical trials using oral nutritional supplements to persons diagnosed with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment, and conducted in hospitals, nursing homes or homes. ResultsWe included ten articles reporting nine clinical trials. A total of 407 persons with dementia were included, of whom 228 used ONS for 7 to 180 days. Nutritional intake improved by 201 to 600 kcal/day. Energy intake from ordinary foods was not affected, thus ONS improved the persons daily intake of energy and protein. Body weight, muscle mass, and nutritional biomarkers in blood improved in the intervention groups compared with the control groups. No effects on cognition or physical outcomes were observed. ConclusionONS increases the intake of energy and protein and improves nutritional status in persons with dementia; however, RCTs with longer intervention periods are needed to investigate the impact on cognitive and functional outcomes.
Highlights
Dementia is a chronic condition characterised as a decline in cognitive functioning that leads to dependence in the performance of daily activities, including nutritional sufficiency.[1]
Persons with dementia are at risk of malnutrition, evidenced by low dietary intake, which has consequences for nutritional status, activity of daily living and disease progression
Ten publications were included in the review reporting on nine experimental clinical studies: six randomised control trials (RCT) and three non-RCTs.[18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27]
Summary
Dementia is a chronic condition characterised as a decline in cognitive functioning that leads to dependence in the performance of daily activities, including nutritional sufficiency.[1] More than 46 million people in the world have dementia, and the number is projected to increase to 152 million by 2050.2 The incidence of dementia increases progressively with age.[3]. Sources of Support: This research received no external funding. People with dementia often experience several problems related to nutrition. Issues with memory and thoughts may affect planning, shopping, and preparation of food. As the disease progresses, eating and drinking may become more difficult. Dysphagia has been reported in 13 to 57% of persons with dementia.[4]
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