A Comparative Study on Nutritional Status, Functional Status and Quality of Life between Dementia Patients and Healthy Individuals in Kolkata, West Bengal

Introduction: Dementia patients may have an increased risk of developing malnutrition, due to inadequate food intake and inferior dietary quality. Furthermore, functional impairment may worsen the situation by limiting the ability to self-feed. It may ultimately lead to a decrease in quality of life and an increase in caregiver burden. Therefore, the current study aims to assess the nutritional status (NS), functional status (FS) and quality of life (QoL) of dementia patients and compare them with those of healthy individuals.Methodology: Dementia patitents (n = 60) and healthy subjects (n = 60) of similar sociodemographic profiles were recruited. Validated tools were used for the screening and assessment of dementia, NS, FS and QoL.Results: A significant (p < 0.001) impairment of NS, FS and QoL was observed among dementia patients. The patients were found to consume a lesser number of meals and had difficulties in self-feeding. Also, the patients perceived themselves to be unwell/ unhealthy.Conclusion: Overall, dementia patients faced higher degrees of malnutrition and functional impairment and had lower quality of life than healthy individuals. Routine screening and targeted interventions will be beneficial for such patients. How to cite this article:Dutta S, Roy S, Roy S, Manna A. A Comparative Study on Nutritional Status, Functional Status and Quality of Life between Dementia Patients and Healthy Individuals in Kolkata, West Bengal. Chettinad Health City Med J. 2024;13(4):4-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202454