title: [Malnutrition and dementia in the elderly in German nursing homes. Results of a prevalence survey from the years 2008 and 2009].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dementia is one of most challenging problems for the care of older people in Germany. Although malnutrition in nursing homes is also associated with dementia, few systematic studies have described health care structures in German nursing homes for people with dementia and their individual nutritional status. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine dementia-specific differences concerning the nutrition situation for the elderly in German nursing homes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional multicenter study was performed using a standardized multilevel instrument (observation, questionnaire) developed at the University of Maastricht. Variables are indicators for malnutrition and its risks, quality indicators, care dependency and types of interventions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 2008 and 2009 surveys, 53% of 4,777 participants (77.9% women, 22.1% men, mean age 82 years) were identified (based on care documentation) as having dementia. More than one third of this population (n = 759, 85.1% women, 14.1% men, mean age 85 years) was probably malnourished; thus, the prevalence rate in the group of people with dementia was 10% higher compared to the group without dementia. People with dementia showed a higher risk in all relevant risk indicators (weight history, body mass index, and food intake) for malnutrition compared to those without dementia. Furthermore, people with dementia had higher care dependency rates and required more assistance for eating and drinking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study results confirm the relationship between malnutrition and dementia. The use of standardized nutrition screening tools is not common practice in German nursing homes yet. However, the results suggest that with an increasing risk for malnutrition combined with dementia the proportion of nursing interventions also increases, which means that nurses must react adequately. Nevertheless, the interventions concerning malnutrition should be improved especially with respect to preventive measurements.
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e.V. (DZNE), Standort Witten, Stockumer Str. 12, 58453, Witten, Deutschland. sven.reuther@dzne.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reuther
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van Nie
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meijers
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Halfens
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bartholomeyczik
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution