Table 2 Sample characteristics of participants at baseline (per protocol analysis)

Age, years

[M (SD), range]

85 (7), 67–97

86 (5), 70–98

t(160.931) = 1.918, p = 0.057

Sex, female

82%

86%

Chi²(1) = 0.500, p = 0.479

Type of dementia

Chi² = 5.693, p = 0.199

- Alzheimer’s disease

14%

15%

- Vascular dementia

21%

11%

- Mixed dementia

2%

4%

- other

2%

0%

- unknown

31%

43%

- no confirmed/unknown diagnosis

29%

27%

MMSE [M (SD), range]

17 (4), 10–24

17 (4), 10–24

t(160.446) = 0.317, p = 0.752

Use of walking aid

Chi²(2) = 4.644, p = 0.098

- walker

62%

77%

- walking stick/s

9%

8%

- no walking aid

29%

15%

CIRS [M (SD), range]

- Morbidity Index

9 (4), 1–20

8 (5), 2–26

t(101) = − 0.633, p = 0.528

- Severity Index

1.5 (0.4), 1–3

not available for 31%

1.5 (0.4), 1–3

not available for 44%

z = − 0.247, p = 0.805

Number of medications [M (SD), range]

8 (4), 1–27

unknown in 22%

5 (3), 0–12

unknown in 21%

t(126) = −3.627,p < 0.001

BMI, kg/m²

[M (SD), range]

28.4 (4.4), 19.7–48.5

unknown in 3%

27.1 (4.6), 17.6–36.5

unknown in 3%

t(156) = − 1.801, p = 0.074