Foods That Help Elderly People Gain Weight

Dec 9, 2010 | By Elizabeth Donahue

One of the nutritional problems facing older adults is a condition dubbed "tea and toast syndrome," in which the elderly consume inadequate diets. There are many reasons for this, ranging from social issues like depression, to medical issues related to medications or disease. In general, there are a few ways to maximize intake by offering preferred foods, modifying the caloric content of meals and adding supplemental snacks.

Preference Foods

The most important aspect of weight gain in the elderly is to serve preference foods. For this population, it is generally more important to increase quantity of food than to push vegetables or whole grains that are not enjoyable for the person. When lack of appetite is an issue, serve the most appealing foods, even if they are not the ideal foods. Meals are only healthy if they are eaten.

Caloric Compounders

To increase the calorie count of foods, try adding condiments to your meals. For example, don't serve a hamburger without cheese, mayonnaise and ketchup. Add sauces and gravies to meat, choose creamy soups instead of clear broth soups, cream with coffee and butter on top of vegetables or toast. This technique will help maximize calorie consumption without leading to early satiety.

Supplements

There are many nutritional supplements and milkshakes available to increase caloric intake for the elderly. These milkshakes are usually fortified with an assortment of vitamins and minerals to make up for the lack of them in the diet. Milkshakes should be given between meals or after meals as to not interfere with food consumption.