Have you ever tried on a "one size fits all" garment only to find it didn't fit? It's a concept that doesn't always work with clothing, and researchers have found it doesn't always work with nutrition. Older adults have different nutritional needs than other age groups and need a food guide pyramid designed specifically for those needs. Researchers at Tufts University did just that, with a modification of the familiar food pyramid that takes into account nutrition and lifestyle differences of people 70 and older.
History
The U.S. Department of Agriculture created MyPyramid, the latest version of the standard food pyramid, in 2005. According to the USDA, MyPyramid is a system that "translates nutritional recommendations into the kinds and amounts of food to eat each day." The Tufts researchers designed a modified food pyramid, the Food Guide Pyramid for Older Adults, in 1999. In 2008, Tufts updated its version of the pyramid to make it a companion to MyPyramid.
Exercise
The foundation of the modified food pyramid is energy. As you age, your metabolism slows. You may become less active due to physical changes. Your body requires less energy, and you begin to cut back on physical activity. The new food guide makes the pyramid's base all about exercise to remind you that exercise is important at all stages of life. The pyramid displays icons for senior friendly activities such as gardening, water activities and walking.
Fluids
You know fluid is important for health, but you can become less conscious of the importance of hydration as you grow older. Fluids are not part of the standard pyramid, and placing fluids on the pyramid for seniors emphasizes this requirement. The pyramid shows eight glasses of liquid, not specifically water. That's because other liquids, such as soup or juice, contain water and help meet your need for hydration.
Convenient Packaging
If you're less active as you get older, you may also become less mobile, making it harder for you to prepare food or get to the market to buy it. The result is that you may not shop frequently and may prefer packaged foods that you can store and prepare easily. Although fresh food is usually preferable, other versions are good, too. The modified pyramid acknowledges this with icons for frozen and boxed foods, items you can buy ahead and use as you need them.
Supplements
As you mature, you may not get all of the vitamins and minerals you need. You don't eat as many calories as you did when you were younger, so it's hard to get all of the required nutrients. If that's happening to you, nutritional supplements might solve the problem. The new pyramid has a flag at the top listing important nutrients. It reminds you to check with your doctor to see if you need to supplement and, if so, how. Supplements, exercise and fluids -- with these and other changes, the Food Guide Pyramid for Older Adults recognizes differences in health needs and helps you meet yours.
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