Objective: This is a quality improvement project undertaken with an aim to evaluate the diet quality and adherence to the Mediterranean diet among individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and to assess the need for a dietitian in a PD multidisciplinary care team

Background: High adherence to a Mediterranean diet was shown to provide a significant protection for incidence of chronic and degenerative disease. PD involves both motor and nonmotor symptoms and a healthy dietary pattern can be used as a non-pharmacological approach to address the symptoms PD. The National Institute of Health Care and Excellence guidelines (2017) for Parkinson’s Disease in Adults suggests referring people to a dietitian for dietary advice. However, a meta-analysis by Rajan et al (2020) showed very limited utilization of dietitian services for patients with PD.

Method: A validated 14-item, questionnaire was used to assess dietary adherence to the Mediterranean diet in an outpatient Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders clinic. The data were collected from October 2021– March 2022. A total of 430 patients completed questionnaires were used for analysis. Mediterranean diet adherence score was classified as low/poor adherence (total score ≤ 5), average adherence (total score between 6-7), high adherence (total score ≥ 8).

Results: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was low in 63.3%, average/needs improvement in 24.9.2%, and high in 11.8% of the subjects. Less than 50% of the subjects were eating at least two or more portions of vegetables each day. Thirty percent of the participants never ate fish or legumes (25.5%), in fact, 10% did not know the definition of a legume. More than half (60%) of the subjects reported consuming at least one serving of red meat, ham burgers or meat products per day.

Conclusion: The Mediterranean diet adherence score could be used to provide effective nutrition education and counseling and as a disease management tool for patients with PD. In addition, the data justify the need for including a dietitian as a part of the interdisciplinary care team of PD patients.

References: 1. Singh B, Parsaik AK, Mielke MM, et al. Association of mediterranean diet with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
J Alzheimers Dis. 2014;39(2):271-282.
2. Parkinson’s disease in adults: diagnosis and management. London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); July 2017.
3. Rajan R, Brennan L, Bloem BR, et al. Integrated Care in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Mov Disord. 2020;35(9):1509-1531.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/a-need-for-improving-the-diet-quality-of-individuals-with-parkinsons-disease/