Energy balance
In institutionalized elderly residents with dementia, higher physical and cognitive dependency and decreased appetite are significant predictors of body weight loss, whereas higher baseline BMI and fat intake predict weight gain.
For elderly nursing home residents with dementia, do not automatically assume weight loss is due to illness or medication. The study shows that physical/cognitive dependency and decreased appetite are the key drivers of weight loss. Conversely, higher fat intake and higher baseline BMI are associated with weight gain. Care plans should focus on managing dependency levels and addressing appetite issues (possibly linked to dementia/depression) rather than restricting fat or focusing solely on chronic disease management, as these were not associated with weight changes in this specific population.
Dependency (b = -0.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.21, -0.01) and decreased appetite (b = -2.17, 95% CI = -4.32, -0.01) were significantly associated with body weight loss, whereas body mass index (b = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.98, 2.51) and intake of fat (b = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.15) were predictors of weight gain.
Why this rating
Prospective longitudinal study with a reasonable sample size (N=108) and statistical adjustment, though limited by potential unmeasured confounders like edema.
Source
Altered Growth Hormone, Cortisol, and Leptin Secretion in Healthy Elderly Persons With Sarcopenia and Mixed Body Composition Phenotypes
Donna Waters et al. · The Journals of Gerontology Series A · 2008
DOI 10.1093/gerona/63.5.536
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