Observed dietary intake in adults with intellectual disability living in the community

Knowledge is lacking about dietary habits among people with intellectual disability (ID) living in community residences under new living conditions.

To describe the dietary habits of individuals with ID living in community residences, focusing on intake of food, energy and nutrients as well as meal patterns.

Assisted food records and physical activity records over a 3-day observation period for 32 subjects.

Great variation was observed in daily energy intake (4.9-14 MJ) dispersed across several meals, with on average 26% of the energy coming from in-between-meal consumption. Main energy sources were milk products, bread, meat products, buns and cakes. The daily intake of fruit and vegetables (320+/-221 g) as well as dietary fiber (21+/-9.6 g) was generally low. For four vitamins and two minerals, 19-34% of subjects showed an intake below average requirement (AR). The physical activity level (PAL) was low for all individuals (1.4+/-0.1).

A regular meal pattern with a relatively high proportion of energy from in-between-meal eating occasions and a low intake of especially fruits were typical of this group of people with ID. However, the total intake of energy and other food items varied a great deal between individuals. Thus, every adult with ID has to be treated as an individual with specific needs. A need for more knowledge about food in general and particularly how fruit and vegetables could be included in cooking as well as encouraged to be eaten as in-between-meals seems imperative in the new living conditions for adults with ID.