P687 - THE BRAIN HEALTH CLINIC - NUTRITIONAL PROFILE OF SERVICE USERS

P687

THE BRAIN HEALTH CLINIC - NUTRITIONAL PROFILE OF SERVICE USERS

E. Mullen¹, G. Knight², S. Feehan^1,*, S. Kennelly²

¹Nutrition and Dietetic Department, ²Memory Assessment Service, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin , Ireland

Rationale: The number of people with dementia in Ireland is projected to increase from 64,000 to 150,000 by 2045.¹ The Health Service Executive (HSE) Model of Care for Dementia outlines care pathways to support individuals from initial diagnostics to post-diagnostic support. A Brain Health Clinic (BHC) offers individuals diagnosed with a Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) specific brain health interventions to help prevent or slow the progression of cognitive impairment. In Ireland, there is no information on the nutritional profile or dietetic need of this cohort.

Methods: A secure database containing anthropometry, biochemistry, and final scores from risk factor questionnaires, including the Mediterranean Diet Score Tool, of service users’ initial visit to the BHC was analysed.² Further analysis of the quality of their diet was completed. Statistical analysis was complete on Microsoft Excel.

Results: Of 101 individuals analysed, 39% were male and 61% were female. The majority aged 70-79 years (45%), with an age range from 43 to 88 years. 74% were in the overweight or obese BMI categories. 31% had insufficient vitamin D status. 42% had low iron levels. 74% had low-to-moderate levels of physical activity. 82% had a low-to-moderate adherence to the Mediterranean Diet. 53% used olive oil as their main cooking fat, however 9% took >4 tablespoons of olive oil/day. 24% reported taking at least one glass of wine/day.

Conclusion: Dietetic presence within this service is new. Completing this study allows for focused dietetic interventions as part of a multi-modular approach including:

Adopting a tailored plan for individuals with a MCI to improve their lifestyle and diet 

        - Adopting a more applicable dietary quality screening tool for the Irish population

        - Offering one-to-one dietetic assessments for individuals with the strongest risk factors for cognitive decline

References: 1 HSE. Estimated Dementia Prevalence. 2020

2 Schröder et al. (2011) Journal of Nutrition 141:1140–1145

Disclosure of Interest: None declared