Maken, Aruzhan2024-07-252024-07-252024Maken, A. (2024). Dietary Patterns of Elderly Individuals with and without Alzheimer's Disease in Kazakhstan: A Comparative Study of Nutrient Intake, Food Groups, and Overall Dietary Quality. Nazarbayev University School of Medicinehttps://nur.nu.edu.kz/handle/123456789/8155Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of mortality and disability in the elderly population worldwide. While various factors contribute to AD development and progression, the role of dietary patterns, particularly in under-studied regions, remains unclear. This study analyzed the dietary intake of individuals over 50, with and without AD, in Kazakhstan to determine nutritional differences and associations with AD. A cross-sectional study was conducted among AD and age-matched controls in Astana and Almaty. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Nutrient intake was analyzed for macronutrients and micronutrients. No significant differences were observed between the nutrient intake of AD participants between cities, suggesting uniform dietary patterns among the population with AD within Kazakhstan. Furthermore, macronutrient intake revealed no differences between AD and control. Variations were observed between AD and control in micronutrients. AD participants had lower nutrient intake values in both cities, consistent with previous reports of decreased appetite and swallowing difficulties in AD patients. Our findings suggest that micronutrient intake may have neuroprotective effects in the Kazakhstani elderly population and warrants further investigation. The observed differences in micronutrient intake between AD and control groups could inform targeted nutritional interventions to prevent or mitigate AD progression in this region.enAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United StatesType of access: GatedAlzheimer's diseaseDietary PatternsBachelor's thesis