The purpose of the present study was to examine the nutrient intake status of elderly dementia patients. We surveyed the dietary intake of 50 demented elderly patients receiving a regular diet, who were hospitalized in a geriatric hospital in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do. The average age of the subjects was 79.6 土6.5 for the males and 80.5 土6.3 for the females. The average heights were 169.5 土6.0 cm (males) and 154.6 土5.2 cm (females), and the average weights were 58.5 土7.4 (males) and 51.7 土8.9 kg (females). Depending on the type of dementia, the male patients showed significant differences in their intakes of vegetable protein, fiber, total iron, and non-heme iron between the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the vascular dementia (VD) groups, and the female patients showed significant differences in their intakes of total protein, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamin B6 between the two groups. The male patients showed significant differences in their intakes of animal-source calcium and carotene according to ability to self-feed. According to physical activity, the male patients showed significant differences in vegetable fat and vitamin A intake, and the females showed significant differences in their intakes of total protein, animal protein, fiber, ash, total calcium, vegetable-source calcium, animal-source calcium, phosphorous, total iron, non-heme iron, heme iron, sodium, vitamins B1, B2, B6, niacin, vitamin C, folate, and potassium. We found that the patients consumed excessive protein, but low amounts of calcium, vitamin B2, and folate. Also, the patients’ physical activity abilities appeared to affect their nutrient intakes.

• Jin Lee(Department of Food Science & Nutrition, Dankook University)
• Mi Hee Na(Department of Food Science & Nutrition, Dankook University)
• Woo Kyoung Kim(Department of Food Science & Nutrition, Dankook University) Corresponding author