Diet Quality Assessment in Wheelchair Users with Multiple Sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Clinical Nutrition
• Dietary Assessment

Background:

• Diet quality in wheelchair users with multiple sclerosis (MS) remains under-examined.
• Understanding dietary patterns is crucial for managing MS and its complications.
• Specific nutritional needs of individuals with MS using wheelchairs require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate diet quality in wheelchair users with MS.
• To compare two dietary assessment tools: the Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ) III and the Automated Self-Administered 24-h (ASA24) Dietary Assessment Tool.
• To establish baseline dietary intake data for this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 128 wheelchair users with MS.
• Participants completed the DHQ-III and three ASA24 recalls over seven days.
• Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 scores were calculated and compared to normative values, with correlation analyses performed.

Main Results:

• HEI-2015 scores were significantly higher than normative values for total score, total protein foods, and added sugar.
• Statistically significant correlations were found between DHQ-III and ASA24 HEI-2015 scores (r_s = 0.23-0.69).
• Significant differences were observed between the two tools for several HEI-2015 components, including total score, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fats.

Conclusions:

• This study offers a novel description of diet quality in wheelchair users with MS.
• The findings provide a basis for future research aimed at promoting healthy eating in this specific population.
• Dietary assessment tools may yield different results, highlighting the need for careful selection in research and clinical practice.