title: Prevalence and factors associated with food intake difficulties among residents with dementia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have examined the prevalence of food intake difficulties and their associated factors among residents with dementia in long-term care facilities in Taiwan. The purpose of the study was to identify the best cutoff point for the Chinese Feeding Difficulty Index (Ch-FDI), which evaluates the prevalence of food intake difficulties and recognizes factors associated with eating behaviors in residents with dementia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A cross-sectional design was adopted. In total, 213 residents with dementia in long-term care facilities in Taiwan were recruited and participated in this study. The prevalence rate of food intake difficulties as measured by the Chinese Feeding Difficulty Index (Ch-FDI) was 44.6%. Factors associated with food intake difficulties during lunch were the duration of institutionalization (beta = 0.176), the level of activities of daily living-feeding (ADL-Q1) (beta = -0.235), and the length of the eating time (beta = 0.416). Associated factors during dinner were the illuminance level (beta = -0.204), sound volume level (beta = 0.187), ADL-Q1 (beta = -0.177), and eating time (beta = 0.395).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Food intake difficulties may potentially be associated with multiple factors including physical function and the dining environment according to the 45% prevalence rate among dementia residents in long-term care facilities.
authors.affiliation: School of Gerontology Health Management, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Chi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Fang
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1453-5244
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Center of General Education, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yuan-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: School of Gerontology Health Management, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.|School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mu-Hsing
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Biostatistics Research Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Kuang
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7027-9508
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuei-Ru
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: School of Gerontology Health Management, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Megan F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications*; D004435:Eating; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012112:Residential Facilities; D013624:Taiwan