Eating Patterns Among Students With Intellectual Disabilities After a Multifactorial School Intervention Using the Plate Model

Abstract Adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID) have an increased prevalence of being overweight and having cardiometabolic diseases as adults, in part due to poor eating habits with an inadequate intake of vegetables. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a multifactorial school intervention using the “Plate Model” results in improved healthy food choices with recommended ≥37.5% of vegetables. Participants with mild/moderate intellectual disabilities from an intervention school (n = 27) were compared with controls (n = 62) from two other upper secondary schools for students with ID. All were offered a test buffet lunch with meatballs, potatoes, sauce, and eight different vegetables presented in identical bowls. Their servings and food intake were evaluated from digital images and video films. The majority (88%) of the total group filled their plate with ≥37.5% of vegetables. The mean energy intake did not differ between the groups (576 kcal (min 196—max 1444)). The intervention participants had a lower intake of fat (21% (SD 6) vs. 24% (SD 7), p = .031), a higher intake of carbohydrates (57% (SD 7) vs. 53% (SD 8), p = .035), less plate waste (5 (SD 10) grams vs. 25 (SD 43) grams, p = .021), and more participants took only one portion (56% vs. 32%, p = .039) compared with the control group. The participants from the intervention school made healthier food choices. In this setting, most adolescents with ID ate a sufficient a...
Source: Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities - Category: Disability Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research