Impact of Comprehensive Dietary Counseling on Dietary Quality, Mental Health, and Quality of Life in Older Adults

Impact of Comprehensive Dietary Counseling on Dietary Quality, Mental Health, and Quality of Life in Older Adults

Impact of Comprehensive Dietary Counseling on Dietary Quality, Mental Health, and Quality of Life in Older Adults

As a person ages, an incidence of mental distress such as depression and anxiety increases while the quality of life decreases. Singapore's population is aging rapidly and older adults may suffer from mental distress and deteriorated quality of life. Recent evidence suggests that good nutrition is essential for mental health and quality of life in older adults. Previous research reported that provision of nutrition education and cooking workshops to people with mental illness for 3 months achieved healthy dietary change and improved mental health. This proposed study aims to further assess the effect of comprehensive dietary counselling on dietary quality, cardio-metabolic, mental health, sleep quality, and quality of life through a 24-wk parallel intervention study in Singapore older adults. The investigators hypothesised that older adults who receive comprehensive dietary counselling will improve dietary quality, cardio-metabolic health, mental health, sleep quality, and quality of life when compared to older adults who do not receive comprehensive dietary counselling.

Fifty female Chinese older adults (aged 60+y) will be recruited with the expectation that ≥ 40 subjects will complete the study. This is a 24-wk parallel, single-bind, prospective study design with subjects randomly assigned to either receiving comprehensive dietary counselling (intervention group) or not receiving comprehensive dietary counselling (control group). Subjects in the intervention group will only receive comprehensive dietary counselling for first 12-wk and then they will be followed for another 12-wk without comprehensive dietary counselling. Subjects in the control group will be followed for 24-wk without any intervention. Dietary quality, mental health, sleep quality, daily physical activity and quality of life will be assessed and blood lipid-lipoproteins, glucose and insulin concentrations will be measured from the collected blood samples.

Older adults, Dietary consultation, Mental health, Sleep quality, Dietary quality, Cardio-metabolic health

Each subject will receive a comprehensive dietary counselling for the first 12-weeks of the study, which will be followed by another 12-weeks without dietary counselling.

Intervention group will be given a comprehensive dietary guidance on how to choose healthier options when eating out, as well as how to personally prepare a healthy meals.

Every 2 week for the first 12 weeks and every 4 weeks for the last 12 weeks (Week 0, week 2, week 4, week 6, week 8, week 10, week 12, week 16, week 20, week 24)

Mental Health Questionnaire - Consisting of basic health screen recording anthropometric measurements, visual functioning questionnaire scale (1; Good, 2; Acceptable, 3; Poor), Lifestyle (0; Never, 1; 1-3 times/month, 2; 1-3 times/week, 3; 4-6 times/week, 4; daily), depression scale (Yes or no questionnaire)

Quality of Life Questionnaire Subjective scale rating (1; very dissatisfied, 2; dissatisfied, 3; neither satisfied not dissatisfied, 4; satisfied, 5; very satisfied) assessing quality of life, health and other areas of life.

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Assessment (PSQI) - Recall based questionnaire assessing sleep habits for the past one month only which includes sleeping timing habits and quality of sleep (Very good, Fairly good, Fairly bad and very bad)

Inclusion Criteria: Able to give an informed consent Age ≥60 years No weight change >3kg in the past 3 months Not exercising vigorously over the past 3 months Does not have any intestinal disorders, including lactose intolerance No acute illness Non-smoker Non-vegetarian Not drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks/day Not taking any lipid-lowering and blood pressure controlling medications less than 3 years Exclusion Criteria: Unable to give an informed consent Age < 60 years Weight change >3kg in the past 3 months Exercises vigorously over the past 3 months Have intestinal disorders, including lactose intolerence Having acute illness Smoking Vegetarian Drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks/day Taking lipid-lowering and blood pressure controlling medications less than 3 years

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Bogomolova S, Zarnowiecki D, Wilson A, Fielder A, Procter N, Itsiopoulos C, O'Dea K, Strachan J, Ballestrin M, Champion A, Parletta N. Dietary intervention for people with mental illness in South Australia. Health Promot Int. 2018 Feb 1;33(1):71-83. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daw055.