Observed Dietary Intake in Adults with Intellectual Disability Living in Group Homes

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

BACKGROUND: There is limited information on the dietary intakes of people with intellectual disability (ID) living in group homes. OBJECTIVE: To describe and evaluate dietary intake in people with ID. METHOD: Dietary intake was assessed in a convenience sample of people with ID living in group homes. Dietary assessment used three-day weighed food records and digital food photography. Intakes were compared to the Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) and dietary recommendations. Many participants had intakes below the estimated average requirements (EARs) for the nutrients, magnesium (M: 86%; W: 63%), calcium (M: 43%; W: 78%), iodine (M: 43%; W: 47%) and zinc (M: 43%). Less than half of the recommended daily servings were consumed for vegetables (men and women) and dairy foods (women). CONCLUSION: Nutrient intake and diet quality of the participants in the group homes studied was poor. Education and policy to support healthier diets is required to improve dietary intake of people with intellectual disability, living in group homes.