A healthy diet to reduce the risk of dementia in people with a learning disability
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A healthy diet to reduce the risk of dementia in people with a learning disability

Lynette Harper Senior lecturer, Learning disability nursing, Kingston University, London, England

There is an increased prevalence of dementia in people with a learning disability, but modifiable lifestyle factors, such as healthy eating, may reduce this risk. This article reviews the evidence on fatty acids, B vitamins, and antioxidants, that have been indicated as preventive measures in neurodegeneration. It also highlights the evidence suggesting that encouraging a healthy and varied diet early in life, and sustaining this through adulthood and later in life, promotes neurological health in people with a learning disability.

Learning Disability Practice. 20, 4, 30-35. doi: 10.7748/ldp.2017.e1829

Correspondence

lynette.harper@sgul.kingston.ac.uk

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

Conflict of interest

None declared

Received: 22 December 2016

Accepted: 19 May 2017

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