Overview of systematic reviews: Effectiveness of non‐pharmacological interventions for eating difficulties in people with dementia

Abstract Aim To evaluate the effectiveness of non‐pharmacological interventions for eating difficulties in people with dementia (PWD). Background Eat difficulties are common problems in PWD. Prolonged eating difficulties may lead to inadequate/excessive food and drink intake and other adverse outcomes. Design Overview of systematic reviews. Data sources Cochrane Library, JBI Library, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, CNKI, WANFANG, from inception up until 23 September 2019. Review methods This overview was conducted in accordance with methodological recommendations of Cochrane. Two researchers independently selected studies based on inclusion criteria, extracted data, assessed eligible studies using AMSTAR 2 and GRADE system, and summarized the conclusions. Results Eighteen systematic reviews were included. Some evidence showed that environmental modifications, education/training, and Oral nutrition supplements (ONS) were beneficial to improving eating difficulties. But the current evidence failed to support the effectiveness of other interventions. Conclusion The overall confidence of systematic reviews is relatively low. High‐quality studies are needed to further validate the effectiveness of non‐pharmacological interventions for eating difficulties in PWD. Impact This overview provides evidence on the effectiveness of non‐pharmacological interventions for eating difficulties in PWD. It will guide caregivers to choose more effective interventions to cope with eating difficulties and reduce the risk of adverse outcomes.