Nutrition Education and Support Program for Community-Dwelling Adults With Intellectual Disabilities

To test the efficacy, acceptability, and appropriateness of a nutrition education and support program, 4 community-based group homes for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities participated in a pilot intervention with extended baseline period and pre-post-test design. Adults (N = 32) with intellectual or developmental disabilities, 20 direct service staff, 4 managers of group homes, and 2 health specialists at private service providers participated in the intervention, consisting of a system of nutrition supports in nutrition education and guidelines, menu and meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking designed for the special needs of this population. Positive impacts were found using the program, including fidelity measures, food systems changes and acceptability to users, planned and served foods, and cost changes associated with implementation.