The Effect of Exercise and Social Activity Interventions on Nutritional Status in Older Adults with Dementia Living in Nursing Homes: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Examine the effects of a 24-week exercise intervention against a social intervention on body weight, body mass index (BMI) and nutritional status in PWD living in nursing homes. Randomized controlled trial. Ninety-one older people with dementia living in nursing homes. Interventions: Exercise (n=44) or social-based activities (n=47), taking place twice per week, for 60 minutes/session, during 24 weeks. Nutritional status was measured with the mini-nutritional assessment (MNA), weight and BMI. After the 24-week intervention, none of MNA (B-coeff. 1.28; 95% CI -2.55 to 0.02), weight (-0.06; -1.58 to 1.45) and BMI (-0.05; -0.85 to 0.74) differed significantly between groups after adjustment for multiplicity. In the social group, MNA significantly improved while it remained stable in the exercise group. The percentage of at-risk and malnourished patients reduced in both groups by more than 6%. The results suggest that social activities have as good effects as exercise activities on nutritional status in PWD nursing home residents.