Nutrition
Exploring Importance of Good Nutrition Among Older Adults
by Pradip Shitole
There’s no doubt that good nutrition is important at every stage of life. It provides individuals with energy to carry out their daily activities. Also, it assists with weight management and can help prevent certain conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure.
But as individuals age, their lives and bodies change, and so does what they need to stay healthy. They may need less of certain foods and more of others. This blog post explores the basics of elderly nutrition, shedding light on the essential nutrients older adults need to stay healthy.
What Is Good Nutrition?
The human body is like a finely tuned engine, needing the right fuel for proper functioning. The body gets the essential fuel from the nutrients in the food consumed. Humans need several nutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, to meet their daily energy needs and maintain health.
Good elderly nutrition is concerned with consistently choosing healthy food and beverages that provide the body with essential energy and nutrition. A healthy diet can help individuals maintain a healthy weight, lower the risk of health problems, and live longer.
What Does A Well-Balanced Diet Involve?
A well-balanced diet involves eating a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, protein, grains, meat, and dairy. The key is to consume a rich array of foods that provide all the essential nutrients individuals need to maintain their overall health. A well-balanced diet entails limiting the intake of foods and beverages that are high in sugar, salt, and fat. It also requires individuals to monitor their cholesterol and fat intake closely.
Nutritional Needs for Elderly
Here’s a look at the essential nutrients that the elderly need:
Protein
Low protein intake among older adults can lead to muscle atrophy, resulting in a decline in physical function. Lack of protein can also lead to osteoporosis and muscle loss. Dietary protein intake helps stimulate muscle protein synthesis, resulting in an improvement in muscle strength, mass, and function. Besides, keeping a check on daily protein needs supports immunity, increases bone mineral density, and reduces rehabilitation time after an acute disease.
Sources of Protein: Lean meats, fish, dairy, legumes, soy, and nuts and seeds.
Calcium
Calcium intake is a health concern that’s highly prevalent among older adults. Lack of calcium can lead to muscle cramps and spasms, brittle nails, dental problems, and osteoporosis. Calcium supplementation is typically recommended to older adults whose oral intake isn’t sufficient.
Sources of Calcium: Dairy, leafy green vegetables, fish, soy and tofu, whey protein, rhubarb, and calcium fortified foods.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency is common in older adults because of low dietary intake and reduced ultraviolet irradiation of the skin. It can lead to several health issues, including osteoporosis and fractures. Older adults can prevent and treat vitamin D deficiency by getting enough sun exposure and consuming vitamin D-rich foods.
Sources of Vitamin D: Oily fish, red meat, liver, egg yolks, and fortified foods.
Iron
Iron is an essential mineral that’s involved in many processes in the body. It is a key component of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to other body parts. Iron plays an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system. Iron deficiency in adults can lead to anemia, having a negative impact on life quality and survival.
Sources of Iron: Meat and seafood, beans and lentils, dried fruits, fortified foods, and dark green leafy vegetables.
How Can Older Adults Maintain a Healthy Diet?
Below, we’ve detailed the ways older adults can follow a healthy diet and maintain their nutritional levels:
Eating Nutrient-Rich Foods: Consuming nutrient-rich foods is one of the best ways to maintain nutritional levels. Fruits, vegetables, dairy, poultry, and meat are full of several essential nutrients.
Avoiding Empty Calories: Foods such as bakery products, candies, and chips have a lot of calories but fewer nutrients. As such, older adults must consume them by keeping their diet plan and nutritional requirements in mind.
Choosing Less Fatty Foods: Older adults may want to avoid trans and saturated fats, which are typically present in baked goods and fried foods available at some fast-food joints.
Being Physically Active: For individuals who have started losing their appetite, exercising and being physically active may help them feel hungrier.
Good Hydration for Elderly
About 60% of the adult human body is water, playing a key role in ensuring the optimal functioning of our essential body functions. It is generally advised to drink one-third to one-half of the body weight in ounces of fluids per day. For instance, if an individual weighs 200 pounds, they must aim to consume 66 to 100 ounces of water per day.
Drinking enough water is one of the most obvious ways to maintain good hydration. However, older adults don’t have to drink just water to maintain their hydration levels. Other drinks such as juice, milk, and tea also assist in maintaining the body’s hydration levels.
To Wrap It Up
As individuals age, the foods and drinks that make up their healthy diet may be somewhat different than when they were younger. As such, it’s important for older adults to know serving sizes and amounts for their age. Talking to a doctor can help older people create healthy diet plans based on their unique medical history and overall personal health profile.
About the Author
Pradip Shitole holds a bachelor’s degree in electronics and telecom engineering from Shivaji University and works as a Manager in digital marketing SEO. He is deeply fascinated by the impact of technology on human life and loves to talk about science and mythology. When not glued to the computer, he loves to read, travel, and daydream about his areas of interest.
