Effect of a staff nutrition education program on the nutrition status of clients with mental retardation living in ICF/MR group homes

The specific aims of this research were to assess the nutritional status of a group of clients with mental retardation living in a unit of ICF/MR group homes, before and after a nutrition education training curriculum for their direct care staff. Seven ICFIMR group homes were used in this study, with three homes serving as the treatment group homes, and four homes serving as control homes. Eighteen clients with mental retardation from the three treatment group homes comprised the treatment group, and 22 clients with mental retardation from the four control group homes comprised the control group. A total of 40 clients were assessed for dietary, clinical, and anthropometric measures at baseline, and at two follow-up periods. Statistical analysis was performed using the t test for independent samples to compare assessment measures for clients in the treatment group with clients in the control group at baseline and the second follow-up assessment and to determine any significant differences in assessment measures from baseline to the second follow-up assessment for clients within each group