TY - JOUR
T1 - Nutritional intervention improves menu adequacy in group homes for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities
AU - Humphries, Kathleen
AU - Pepper, Alison
AU - Traci, Meg Ann
AU - Olson, Julianna
AU - Seekins, Tom
PY - 2009/7
Y1 - 2009/7
N2 - Background: Research documents that adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) living in the community experience nutritional deficits, inadequate diets, and poor nutritional status. Objective: We developed a nutrition intervention that was targeted at improving the food systems in group homes for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, called MENU-AIDDs (Materials Supporting Education and Nutrition for Adults with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities). Methods: MENU-AIDDs was implemented for 8 and 16weeks in four community-based group homes for adults with IDD. Improved nutritional adequacy of planned menus was tested as a marker of improved dietary intake in the residents of the homes. Results: Results showed significant statistical and clinical improvements in the planned menus whereby there were significant increases in the appearance on menus of whole grains, vegetables overall and green/yellow/orange vegetables in particular, and low-fat proteins, and significant decreases in the higher-fat proteins, potatoes, and "junk foods." The positive practice of specifying portion sizes on the menus increased significantly. Conclusions: MENU-AIDDs is a community-based health promotion intervention that can improve menu planning and dietary adequacy while being responsive to the needs of group home residents, direct care staff, and administrators.
AB - Background: Research documents that adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) living in the community experience nutritional deficits, inadequate diets, and poor nutritional status. Objective: We developed a nutrition intervention that was targeted at improving the food systems in group homes for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, called MENU-AIDDs (Materials Supporting Education and Nutrition for Adults with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities). Methods: MENU-AIDDs was implemented for 8 and 16weeks in four community-based group homes for adults with IDD. Improved nutritional adequacy of planned menus was tested as a marker of improved dietary intake in the residents of the homes. Results: Results showed significant statistical and clinical improvements in the planned menus whereby there were significant increases in the appearance on menus of whole grains, vegetables overall and green/yellow/orange vegetables in particular, and low-fat proteins, and significant decreases in the higher-fat proteins, potatoes, and "junk foods." The positive practice of specifying portion sizes on the menus increased significantly. Conclusions: MENU-AIDDs is a community-based health promotion intervention that can improve menu planning and dietary adequacy while being responsive to the needs of group home residents, direct care staff, and administrators.
KW - Group homes
KW - Health promotion
KW - Intellectual disability
KW - Nutrition
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=66949114540&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.dhjo.2009.01.004
DO - 10.1016/j.dhjo.2009.01.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 21122752
AN - SCOPUS:66949114540
SN - 1936-6574
VL - 2
SP - 136
EP - 144
JO - Disability and Health Journal
JF - Disability and Health Journal
IS - 3
ER -
