March 23, 2016 The Parkinson Alliance
KINGSTON, N.J.
The Parkinson Alliance conducted its 20th survey-based research, entitled Nutrition in Parkinson's Disease: A Closer
Look at the Patient's Perspective. Nutrition and diet can have a significant impact on one's
health and general sense of well-being. The survey found that for people with
Parkinson's disease (PD), diet and nutrition are particularly important. Some
foods can impact the absorption of medications used to treat Parkinson's
disease and can impact parkinsonian symptoms. Conversely, PD symptoms and
medications can impact one's eating behaviors and nutritional status.
Data was gathered from
1,492 individuals with Parkinson's, including 402 individuals who have had Deep
Brain Stimulation (DBS). The vast majority of participants believe that
diet/nutrition is important in managing symptoms of PD, but almost half of the
participants perceive themselves as not following a healthy diet the majority
of the time, and very few have been educated about or have been recommended to
follow a specific diet. As age and disease duration increase, motor symptoms
(i.e., tremor, slowness of movement, swallowing difficulties, etc.) and
non-motor symptoms (i.e., constipation, changes in smell and taste, depression,
etc.) may be barriers to optimal nutrition and diet management, and increased
assistance from others may become necessary.
"Good nutritional
management can have a positive impact on well-being for individuals with
PD. The results of this study reinforce the need for a holistic and
interdisciplinary approach to addressing the needs of individuals with PD. For
example, in addition to speaking with a movement disorder specialist, it is
recommended that individuals with PD speak to a registered dietician and a
speech language pathologist regarding food and nutrition and the relationship
with symptoms of PD and medications. Information about and
recommendations pertaining to nutrition management and eating behaviors for
individuals with PD are discussed in the report," comments Jeffrey
Wertheimer, Ph.D., ABPP-CN, clinical neuropsychologist and Chief Research
Consultant for The Parkinson Alliance.
Our report is available
for download at www.dbs4pd.org.
About The Parkinson
Alliance
The Parkinson Alliance is a national
non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for Parkinson's research and
improving the quality of life in the DBS community. After undergoing
bi-lateral DBS in 2000, Margaret Tuchman, President of PA, founded DBS4PD.org to keep the community informed.
Contact
Carol Walton
CEO
The Parkinson Alliance
1-800-579-8440
SOURCE The Parkinson
Alliance
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/survey-examines-patient-perceptions-of-nutrition-and-diet-in-managing-the-symptoms-of-parkinsons-disease-300240443.html?
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