Diet quality among people with intellectual disabilities and borderline intellectual functioning

Abstract

Background: We sought to assess diet quality among people with intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning, living in residential facilities or receiving day care.

Methods: We measured diet quality using the Dutch Healthy Diet Food Frequency Questionnaire (DHD) and compared this between participants with (n = 151) and controls without intellectual disabilities (n = 169). Potential correlates of diet quality were explored.

Results: We found lower mean diet quality among people with intellectual disabilities (M = 80.9) compared to controls (M = 111.2; mean adjusted difference -28.4; 95% CI [-32.3, -24.5]; p < .001). Participants with borderline intellectual functioning and mild intellectual disabilities had lower diet quality and higher body mass index than individuals with severe to profound intellectual disabilities. Being female was a predictor of better diet quality.

Conclusions: Overall, we found that diet quality was low in the sample of people with intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning.

Keywords: body mass index; borderline intellectual functioning; diet quality; intellectual disabilities.