Malnutrition of the elderly. What should you remember when creating a senior diet?

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Malnutrition turns out to be a serious problem not only in the so-called third world countries, where it is associated with the poor material situation of society. It threatens people struggling with chronic diseases. Unfortunately, also the elderly, who are often burdened with diseases, poor mobility and lack of care for the quality of meals consumed.

The material was created in cooperation with Nutramil Complex.

The risk of malnutrition increases with age, so proper nutrition is very important in the elderly. Very often, older people do not care about eating regularly, portions are too low in energy and poor in the necessary nutrients. Sometimes food for special medical purposes for the dietary management of malnutrition may help, which can provide a well-balanced diet or supplement daily meals with the necessary ingredients, including the right amount of protein so needed by the elderly.

The causes of malnutrition in the elderly

There can be many causes of malnutrition in the elderly: less physical activity, lack of appetite, bad eating habits, which can make the diet of a senior citizen rich in simple sugars and poor in other nutrients. In addition, the aging process itself physiologically affects eating disorders – there are disorders in the perception of satiety, changes in the digestive tract that cause delayed gastric emptying, changes in the regulation of thirst and hunger, impaired sense of smell and taste. The risk of malnutrition increases dramatically if the senior has a chronic illness, requires hospitalization, or is in a nursing home.

The socioeconomic situation may also affect the nutritional status of an elderly person. Bad material situation, social isolation, loneliness or a period of mourning may not be without influence.

Consequences of malnutrition of the elderly

In the elderly, the consequences of malnutrition are very serious:

1. weight loss
2. weakening of muscle strength and psychomotor performance,
3. weakening of intestinal peristalsis, digestion and absorption disorders, colonization of the small intestine with bacteria,
4. fatty liver,
5. reduction of protein synthesis,
6. reduction in the weight of the pancreas and the secretion of digestive enzymes,
7. atrophy of respiratory muscles with deterioration of ventilation efficiency,
8. impaired contraction of the heart muscle,
9. increased risk of osteoporosis,
10. deficiency anemia,
11. worse response to treatment, postoperative complications,
12. extended treatment time => increased treatment costs,
13. greater risk of complications after the procedures,
14. higher risk of death after surgery,
15. increased fatigue,
16. disturbances of consciousness.

In addition, after the age of 40, the process of losing muscle mass (the so-called sarcopenia) begins – as much as 8% per decade of life. After 70, this rate increases – up to 15% per decade *. This process is exacerbated by periods of immobilization as a result of hospitalization, surgery or illness. Already 5 days of immobilization can cause the loss of up to 1 kg of muscle mass! Short periods of immobilization due to disease or trauma may be clinically important **.

Senior diet – what is worth remembering?

When constructing a senior’s diet, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the meals are wholesome and rich in nutrients.

To increase your nutrient intake, follow these simple rules:

1. frequent meals,
2. valuable snacks,
3. enhancing the flavor of dishes;
4. delivery of favorite dishes;
5. protein and caloric food for special medical purposes – between main meals (eg Nutramil complex);
6. multivitamin preparations.

The so-called environmental factors can also affect the quality and quantity of meals consumed by the elderly. If it is possible, take care of company during meals. The dishes should be prepared and presented in an attractive way. It is worth remembering about physical activity – it will help to normalize the intestinal motility and will also have a positive effect on improving the appetite. Also, hygiene and good oral health can have an extremely significant impact on the frequency and quality of meals.

A good solution in the nutrition of the elderly are easy-to-use preparations which are food for special medical purposes, eg Nutramil complex®. Such preparations are well-balanced, in a convenient form of granules, so they can be prepared as a delicious cocktail or added to a meal, enriching it with all the necessary food ingredients. This product is available in three flavors – vanilla, strawberry and natural.

It is also worth paying attention to the presence of highly digestible protein in the diet, which will help prevent loss of muscle mass related to age or the period of immobilization.

Diet of the elderly – rules

The diet of an elderly person should, above all, be varied enough to provide all the necessary ingredients needed by the elderly body. Often, meals of the elderly are not varied, they do not meet the body’s needs for basic ingredients and vitamins. Older people do not always eat meals regularly, often the amount of these meals is simply too small. Also, the medications taken may deteriorate the nutritional status of the elderly.

Often, taking a sufficient number of meals is disturbed by gastrointestinal infections, moreover, the elderly do not care about the sufficient supply of fluids, which a senior should take at least 2 liters a day.

Nutritional and energy values ​​in the diet of the elderly – how much

Older people are usually not very active physically. Metabolism also changes, so energy requirements differ from the average adult.

It is recommended that women over 65, leading a moderately active lifestyle, consume about 1700 kcal / day. In the case of men, the energy requirement is around 1950 kcal.

The energy supply should be adapted to the lifestyle. Active people should take care of consuming more calories, and on the other hand – leading a sedentary lifestyle – excess energy can cause obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

The proportions of the ingredients are important in providing energy:

1. 50-60% of energy should come from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates – should be mostly complex, derived from vegetables, pasta, and whole grain bread. It is also worth enriching the diet with legumes.
2. 25-30% from fats, especially paying attention to the sources of unsaturated fatty acids, limiting the consumption of animal fats. A good source of fat for an elderly person will be sea fish, linseed oil or olive oil.
3. 12-15% from protein. An excellent source of wholesome protein will be lean white meats, fish, dairy products with reduced fat content, tofu.

What vitamins and minerals?

An unvaried diet, eating a small amount of vegetables and fruits can lead to deficiencies of some vitamins and minerals. In addition, nutrients are less well absorbed in old age, so it is worth paying attention to their sufficient supply.

In people over 65 years of age, vitamin D supplementation should be remembered, because it is not supplied to the body by skin synthesis. Vitamin D along with calcium in adequate amounts (20 mcg of vitamin D and 200 mg of calcium per day) helps reduce the loss of bone minerals in women over 50. Low bone mineral density is a risk factor for bone fractures caused by osteoporosis. The same amount of vitamin D helps to reduce the risk of falls caused by, among other things, muscle weakness. Falls are a risk factor for bone fractures in women and men over the age of 60. Vitamin D, even in smaller amounts, has a positive effect on the functioning of the immune system.

Digestive system diseases may also affect the deficiency of B vitamins (e.g. B12, B1, B2, B5). The lack of some of them can lead to anemia. These vitamins are also needed for the proper functioning of the central nervous system.

Vitamins A and C with antioxidant properties protect cells against oxidative stress and support the immune system.

Unfortunately, the elderly are also exposed to iron deficiency, often caused by insufficient supply of this mineral in meals or taking medications that may adversely affect its absorption.

Diet during hospitalization

Elderly people at risk of losing muscle mass should especially take care of the proper supply of protein during the periods of hospitalization, which lead to the patient’s immobility. Also in postoperative periods, the right amount of protein in the diet accelerates the regeneration of damaged tissues and wound healing. It is worth remembering that malnourished people suffer from bedsores up to 5 times more often!

The material was created in cooperation with Nutramil Complex.