Significant Weight Loss in Dementia: Can It Be Prevented?

Studies have reported that 30% to 40% of people with dementia may experience clinically significant weight loss during the disease process (J Am Geriatr Soc 1996;44:265–272; Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71:637s–642s; Am J Clin Nutr 2005;82:435–441). Additionally, malnutrition may be present in 14% to 45% of community-dwelling individuals with mild to moderate dementia, and up to 68% of patients with severe dementia are at risk of malnutrition (Drugs Aging 2017;34:425–436). By contrast, individuals with dementia who have higher body mass index (BMI) levels at the time of dementia diagnosis have been shown to have reduced mortality rates (J Am Med Dir Assoc 2014;15:447.e1–e7; Clin Nutr 2017;36:423–428).