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Having Their Cake and Eating it Too: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study on the Dietary Behaviours of Family Carers of Persons With Dementia
Michael S. Smith, Natalie Dickinson, Nicholas F. Sculthorpe, Louise Ritchie, Rachel Kimble. Dementia, 2025-07-23
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Family carers were food secure according to the FIES, and their overall diet quality was moderate, with a mean MEDAS score of 6.6 ± 2.1. Eighty percent exceeded saturated fat and 43% exceeded free sugar intake recommendations. Only 33% of carers reported eating ≥5 portions of fruit and vegetables, with 23% meeting intake of dietary fibre. The findings from the semi-structured interviews demonstrated that caring for a family member with dementia could influence their own dietary behaviours, due to the practical aspects of caregiving and the evolving palates and capabilities of the person with dementia. Family carers of persons with dementia often fail to meet dietary recommendations despite moderate diet quality, with emotional burden, time scarcity, and competing priorities significantly influencing their own eating behaviours. These findings highlight the need for flexible, personalised interventions, such as digital tools, meal delivery services, embedded nutrition support, and peer network, that address carers’ emotional stress, time constraints, and caregiving roles to improve their dietary behaviours.
Key findings
- Family carers were food secure according to the FIES, and their overall diet quality was moderate, with a mean MEDAS score of 6.6 ± 2.1.
- Eighty percent exceeded saturated fat and 43% exceeded free sugar intake recommendations.
- Only 33% of carers reported eating ≥5 portions of fruit and vegetables, with 23% meeting intake of dietary fibre.
- The findings from the semi-structured interviews demonstrated that caring for a family member with dementia could influence their own dietary behaviours, due to the practical aspects of caregiving and the evolving palates and capabilities of the person with dementia.
- Family carers of persons with dementia often fail to meet dietary recommendations despite moderate diet quality, with emotional burden, time scarcity, and competing priorities significantly influencing their own eating behaviours.
Why it matters
This exploratory study found that family carers of people with dementia often fail to meet dietary recommendations, with emotional burden and time scarcity influencing their eating. It highlights the need for support for carers, not a treatment or prevention for dementia itself.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 31/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Dementia: journal h-index 92 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Rachel Kimble: h-index 12 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | University of the West of Scotland: institution h-index 310 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40696953) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 31 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Smith, M. S., Dickinson, N., Sculthorpe, N. F., Ritchie, L., & Kimble, R. (2025). Having Their Cake and Eating it Too: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study on the Dietary Behaviours of Family Carers of Persons With Dementia. Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1177/14713012251355832
Vancouver
Smith MS, Dickinson N, Sculthorpe NF, Ritchie L, Kimble R. Having Their Cake and Eating it Too: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study on the Dietary Behaviours of Family Carers of Persons With Dementia. Dementia. 2025. doi:10.1177/14713012251355832. PMID: 40696953.
BibTeX
@article{smith2025-40696953,
author = {Smith, Michael S. and Dickinson, Natalie and Sculthorpe, Nicholas F. and Ritchie, Louise and Kimble, Rachel},
title = {{Having Their Cake and Eating it Too: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study on the Dietary Behaviours of Family Carers of Persons With Dementia}},
journal = {Dementia},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1177/14713012251355832},
pmid = {40696953},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/14713012251355832}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.