Dad Only Wants To Eat Sweets….What Do I Do?
Maintaining a positive environment that will encourage people affected
by Alzheimer's disease (AD) to eat can be extremely challenging
for caregivers. Ensuring that all needed nutrients are not only provided,
but also actually eaten, adds to this effort. Weight loss and malnutrition
can be a serious complication of AD. For people with AD, the risk of malnutrition
is influenced by many factors: not only by changes in food
intake, but also by appetite modification.1 Consequently, difficulties feeding
people with AD can become an issue of both quantity and quality.
Caregivers may observe changes in a person’s food selection, particularly
an increased taste for sweet foods. People with AD may seek out
candy, cookies and cakes rather than other foods. Choosing more high
sugar and high fat items leaves less room in the diet for fruits, vegetables
and protein containing foods, leading to deficiencies. Such shifts in food
selection may be due in part to intensifying neuropsychiatric disturbances,
such as irritability, agitation and disinhibition.2
| Providing well-balanced meals and snacks, while considering personal food preferences, can be tricky for caregivers. Managing altered food selection, particularly sweet cravings, complicates this further. Here are some tips to meet energy needs and to encourage balanced eating, while monitoring sweet cravings. |
| “Weight loss and malnutrition can be a serious complication of AD.” |
|
- Maximize the morning meal. Shifts in daily eating patterns
may result in better food intake earlier in the day.3
- Include protein-rich sweet foods, such as puddings, fruit yogurts,
frozen yogurt or high protein gelatin (see recipe below).
- Make a smoothie. Whip together frozen fruits (frozen fruits make smoothies thicker)
and juice with yogurt, milk or soymilk for a delicious and nutritious snack. Using yogurt
or milk will add protein and calcium. Alternatively, add non-fat dry milk powder or
whey protein powder. Be creative! (see recipe to the right for ideas).
- Have cut up fruits available. Fresh or canned in natural juices are the best choices.
Ideas include: strawberries, blueberries, oranges, grapes, peaches and pineapples.
- Keep a bowl of rinsed grapes in the freezer. Freezing grapes enhances the sweetness.
- Purchase granola bars. Sweet and crunchy, with less fat and more fiber, granola bars are
a better choice in place of candy bars. Look for bars without hydrogenated oils (trans-fat).
- Choose fruit cookies or fruit bars when selecting baked goods. For example, fig cookies
provide fiber, minerals and are low in fat. Pick brands that leave out hydrogenated oils.
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High Protein Gelatin (Jell-O®) |
Berry Freeze |
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Source: http://cancer.caring4health.com
1 package flavored gelatin
(3 ounce size)
2 cups water
1⁄3 cup dried egg white
(Just WhitesTM is one brand and can
be found in the baking aisle of the
grocery store)
Follow directions on package to
prepare gelatin.Add dried egg white
to warm gelatin mixture. Stir gently
for 2 minutes, until completely
dissolved (a whisk works best).
Makes four 1⁄2 cup servings.
Provides 108 calories and
9 grams protein per serving. |
Source: Eating Tips: A Nutrition Guide
for Adults, God's Love We Deliver
6 Strawberries—frozen
or fresh, sliced
3⁄4 cup cranberry juice
1 banana—peeled, frozen
4 oz pineapple chunks
(in natural juices)
8 oz low fat strawberry yogurt
3⁄4 cup low fat milk
(or 1 scoop of protein powder)
6-8 ice cubes
If using fresh fruit, wash well.
Place all ingredients in blender, blend
until smooth. Makes 2 servings. |
— Lisa Zullig, MS, RD, CDN
God's Love We Deliver
This is the 5th in a series of articles on the nutritional and feeding needs of persons with AD.
Lisa Zullig is a Nutritionist at GLWD, a non-profit agency in NYC which provides meals to men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS,
cancer, AD and many other serious illnesses who are unable to shop or prepare meals for themselves. The agency's team of experienced
nutritionists also provides nutrition education, information and counseling in individual and group sessions to clients, their caregivers and
other service providers.
To obtain more individualized nutrition information, the nutrition department of GLWD can be reached at 212-284-8103 or 800-747-2023 or
visiting www.glwd.org.
References
1, 2 Greenwood et al. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci.2005 Apr;60(4):499-505.
3 Young et al. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2001 Nov;56(11):M70006.
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