Dementia patients sometimes overeat because brain changes make it hard for them to control their hunger or pick healthy foods. This happens most often in a type of dementia called behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, or bvFTD, where people lose the signals that tell them to stop eating.
In bvFTD, the front part of the brain that handles behavior and impulses gets damaged early on. This leads to compulsive eating habits, like wanting sweets or starchy foods all the time. Patients might eat too much or grab things that are not food at all, which can cause weight gain and other health issues.
One big reason is damage to the hypothalamus, a small area in the brain that acts like a control center for hunger. When it is harmed by dementia, the body loses its built-in brakes on eating. Without those signals, people keep eating even when they are full.
These problems start small in the early stages of bvFTD. Eating changes might come and go at first. But as dementia worsens, overeating happens more often and gets harder to manage. In middle and late stages, caregivers often need to step in with set meal times or locked cabinets to keep things safe.
Caregivers can help by watching diets closely and creating routines. This cuts down on overeating and keeps patients healthier. Simple steps like offering healthy snacks or smaller portions make a difference over time.
Sources:
https://int.livhospital.com/bvftd-stages-5-extreme-behavior-changes-revealed/
https://www.aol.com/bruce-willis-dementia-brings-light-020016116.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/unexplained-weight-loss/basics/causes/sym-20050700
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12753350/
https://www.aol.com/articles/5-foods-could-delay-dementia-002310603.html
