Reasons For Elderly People Losing Weight

Aging is a normal biological process that involves the decline of physical, mental, and physiological functions. This decline causes changes including unintentional weight loss, a severe problem for older adults. Family practice physician Grace Huffman writes in "American Family Physician" that involuntary weight loss in the elderly can lead to muscle wasting, decreased immunocompetence, depression and an increased rate of disease complications. Studies show a strong correlation between weight loss and morbidity and mortality.

Failure to Thrive

As the elderly experience a process of physical decline, they may go into a state of apathy and a loss of willingness to eat or drink. Failure to thrive is a state of decline caused by syndromes including impaired physical functioning, malnutrition, depression and disease. The 2004 study "Geriatric Failure to Thrive," published by the American Family Physician, notes that the symptoms of the condition encompass weight loss, decreased appetite, poor nutrition, dehydration, and decreased physical activity.

Depression

The 2004 study "Group Therapy for Depressed Elderly Women," published in the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, found that 20 percent of the elderly suffer from depression. The condition may be due to the loss of physical functioning and independence and is often a consequence of failure to thrive. If left untreated, depression can seriously affect an elderly person's quality of life. A depressed person finds little pleasure in eating, resulting in a decrease in appetite and overall weight loss.

Functional Impairment

As the physical state declines, the elderly lose the ability to perform self-care and physical activities. Limitations in activities of daily living limit mobility, making it difficult to cook and prepare meals.

Sensory Loss

Elderly people may face some degree of sensory loss, making food less enjoyable. Kathleen Mahan's text, "Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy," states that age-related alterations to the sense of taste, smell and touch can lead to poor appetite, inappropriate food choices and lower nutrient intake. With age, taste buds begin to atrophy causing a decrease in taste sensation. The sense of smell is reduced with age due to fewer nerve nasal linings. This loss of taste in addition to loss of smell may cause a decreased interest in food and thus weight loss in the elderly.

Oral Health

Tooth loss, use of dentures and dry mouth can lead to difficulties chewing and swallowing. This may result in the consumption of insufficient calories, thus resulting in weight loss. A 2005 study by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine physician Habib U. Rehman reports that the number of oral and dental problems was the most important predictor of weight loss over one year.

Gastrointestinal Problems

Gastrointestinal changes in the elderly can have a negative impact on the elderly person's nutrient intake. The cheek and tongue muscles are weakened, making chewing and swallowing difficult. Esophageal and stomach motility lessen, leading to a feeling of discomfort because food is emptied at a slower rate. Achlorhydria, or decreased production of stomach acid, make digesting fats difficult. As noted in UCLA's module, Geriatric Topics, the large and small intestinal lining deteriorate, predisposing the elderly to constipation. These discomforts caused by food intake deter the elderly from eating a regular diet, resulting in weight loss.

Medication

Use of drugs and medications can cause of weight loss in the elderly. Huffman writes that medications can cause nausea and vomiting, dysphagia, dysgeusia and anorexia, all of which can be attributed to weight loss. Additionally, polypharmacy, or the use of multiple medications, can cause unintentional weight loss.