Diet quality among people with intellectual disabilities and borderline intellectual functioning

We sought to assess diet quality among people with intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning, living in residential facilities or receiving day care.

We measured diet quality using the Dutch Healthy Diet Food Frequency Questionnaire (DHD) and compared this between participants with (n = 151) and controls without intellectual disabilities (n = 169). Potential correlates of diet quality were explored.

We found lower mean diet quality among people with intellectual disabilities (M = 80.9) compared to controls (M = 111.2; mean adjusted difference -28.4; 95% CI [-32.3, -24.5]; p < .001). Participants with borderline intellectual functioning and mild intellectual disabilities had lower diet quality and higher body mass index than individuals with severe to profound intellectual disabilities. Being female was a predictor of better diet quality.

Overall, we found that diet quality was low in the sample of people with intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning.