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Day care at green care farms: A novelway to stimulate dietary intake of community-dwelling older people with dementia?

  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to compare dietary intake of older people with dementia receiving day care at regular day care facilities (RDCFs) or at so-called green care farms (GCFs).

Design and settings

A comparative cross-sectional study was performed at 10 GCFs and 10 RDCFs in the Netherlands.

Participants

30 subjects from GCFs and 23 subjects from RDCFs, aged 65 years or over, were included in the study. Subjects from GCFs were mostly married males who were aged younger than the subjects from RDCFs who were mostly widowed females.

Measurements

Dietary intake of the subjects was observed and/or recorded both at home and during their time at the day care facility.

Results

In the GCF group, average total energy intake was significantly higher than in the RDCF group (8.8 MJ/d vs. 7.2 MJ/d). Also total carbohydrates and protein intakes were higher in the GCF group than in the RDCF group (with 257 g/d vs. 204 g/d, and 76 g/d vs. 65 g/d respectively). In addition, average total fluid intake was significantly higher in the GCF group than in the RDCF group (2577 g/d vs. 1973 g/d). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that after taking possible confounders into account, day care type was still significantly related to the intake of energy, carbohydrates and fluids.

Conclusion

This study suggests beneficial effects of this new type of day care on dietary intake by community-dwelling older people with dementia.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Sciences, Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands

    S. R. De Bruin

  2. Department of Animal Sciences, Animal Production Systems, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    S. J. Oosting

  3. Department of Social Sciences, Research Methodology group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8130, 6700 EW, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    H. Tobi

  4. Agrotechnology and Food Sciences Group, Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Bomenweg 2, 6703 HD, Wageningen, the Netherlands

    Y. H. Blauw & C. P. G. M. De Groot

  5. Maastricht University/Caphri/Dept. General Practice., p/a Polvertorenstraat 4, 6211 LX, Maastricht, the Netherlands

    J. M. G. A. Schols

Authors
  1. S. R. De Bruin
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  2. S. J. Oosting
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  3. H. Tobi
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  4. Y. H. Blauw
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  5. J. M. G. A. Schols
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  6. C. P. G. M. De Groot
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Correspondence to S. R. De Bruin.

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De Bruin, S.R., Oosting, S.J., Tobi, H. et al. Day care at green care farms: A novelway to stimulate dietary intake of community-dwelling older people with dementia?. J Nutr Health Aging 14, 352–357 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-010-0079-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-010-0079-9

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