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Protein & Calorie Malnutrition in the Elderly

Mar 11, 2011 | By Ruth Coleman

Protein and calorie malnutrition from not eating enough nutrients mainly affects children and the elderly, and it is a common problem among the elderly who are institutionalized. As a result, the elderly can develop anemia, diarrhea, a low body temperature, low blood pressure and poor wound healing. It also affects the outcome of any disorder they may have.

Protein and Calorie Malnutrition

Protein and calorie malnutrition describes the condition where people are malnourished because they are not consuming enough nutrients or they have some type of disorder that is interfering with their digestion and/or absorption of food, as explained in "The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals" by John Morley, M.B. Those who are malnourished from not eating enough are primarily children and the elderly. At first, the cells will slow their rate of metabolism, then the body will break down fat and then stored protein.

Symptoms

As fats and proteins are broken down, the muscles and organs get smaller. The organs that lose the most weight are the intestines and liver, followed by the kidneys and heart, says Morley. The elderly, and anyone with protein and calorie malnutrition, may become very weak and irritable. It may become hard to think, the skin can become cold and dry, the blood pressure and body temperature can drop, and people can become anemic and develop diarrhea.

Malnutrition and Wound Healing

An article in the September 2008 issue of "Ostomy Wound Management" notes that protein-energy malnutrition, also called protein-calorie malnutrition, affects approximately 23 to 85 percent of the elderly who are institutionalized. As explained in the article, having good nutrition is vital for the proper healing of wounds, because stress breaks down stored protein and fats so the cells can have the material that they need to make glucose. Glucose provides the cells with energy. So, without good nutrition, it takes longer for wounds to heal.

Malnutrition and Disease

In the July 2001 issue of "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," a review of 90 studies looked for a connection between the elderly who were treated for protein and calorie malnutrition and their various diseases. The researchers concluded that the nutritional supplements used to treat malnutrition are beneficial in fighting disease. Most of the elderly with the respiratory disorder chronic obstructive pulmonary disease improved, those with chronic renal failure improved, elderly women with hip fractures recovered faster and even those who had several disorders got better.

References

Article reviewed by Elizabeth Ahders Last updated on: Mar 11, 2011

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