OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dietary intake of elderly patients with Parkinson's disease and to correlate it with nutritional status. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) treated as outpatients. Nutritional status was evaluated by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MAN) and food intake was assessed by three-day estimated food record. The Dietary Reference Intakes were used to assess the adequacy of nutrients and energy intake, considering adequate intake values, estimated average requirement and recommended dietary allowance. RESULTS: We evaluated 36 subjects with mean age of 70.9±7.3 years; 55% of patients were at risk of malnutrition according to MNA. However, when classified by body mass index (BMI), 33% of patients were overweight and 39% had no weight loss in the past three months. Energy intake was 1,632 and 1,840kcal/day; proteins, 71.2 and 61.9g/day; iron, 15.8 and 15.6mg/day; sodium, 1,798 and 1,843mg/day for men and women, respectively, and were above recommendations. There was less than the recommended intake for fiber (13.5 and 13.6g/day), calcium (694 and 552mg calcium/day), and potassium (1,637 and 1,476mg/day). Energy intake was correlated with iron and protein (r=0.581 and r=0.582) and protein correlated with iron intake (r=0.600). CONCLUSION: Although energy intake of the majority was adequate, dietary imbalance was observed, with insufficient intake of fiber, calcium, and potassium. Moreover, half the population was at nutritional risk according to the MNA.
Parkinson Disease; Nutritional Status; Diet
