As you age, your body may require more or less of certain foods, and nutritional requirements are based on how much you exercise, chronic diseases and your body's metabolic rate. You may have certain barriers to eating properly as an older adult, but a healthy nutritional status is essential to maintain your quality of life and prevent certain illnesses.
Body Mass Index
Body mass index is the relationship between height and weight and is a reliable indictor of your body fatness. "Journal of American Geriatric Society" collected BMI data for up to 10 years for more than 8,000 participants over the age of 70. The research found that adults who were at a healthy weight lived 22.1 years more than underweight participants, and overweight participants had the same mortality risk as those in a normal weight range. If you are an adult over the age of 65, it is recommended that you maintain a healthy BMI in the range of 18.5 to 24.9.
Recommendations
If you are an elderly adult, you must eat appropriate amount of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, and drink enough water to minimize your risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and certain cancers. As you age, you need fewer calories because your metabolism slows down and you may be less active. You should choose a wide variety of foods and eat fewer foods with empty calories that have no nutritional value, such as cookies, cakes or sodas. If you are an older adult who has a hard time eating three meals a day, you can also drink nutritional supplements to ensure you are getting adequate calories, vitamins and minerals.
Hydration
Researchers at Tufts University modified the MyPyramid Food Guide Pyramid for elderly adults. Tufts researchers stress the importance of consuming fluids because as you get older, you may not feel thirsty, but your body may not be as hydrated as it should be. You should drink eight 8-oz. glasses of water daily and limit caffeinated and alcoholic beverages to prevent dehydration.
Unintended Weight Loss
Forty to 60 percent of elderly adults are malnourished, the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing reports. Elderly adults may have little to no appetite, problems with swallowing and limited income that restricts the number of meals they eat each day. An elderly adult may also have a disability or illness that makes it difficult to cook meals. Other conditions that contribute to malnutrition include chronic disease, depression and change in taste. If you are concerned with an elderly adult's nutrition or you are an elderly adult who has experienced unintended weight loss, you should assess nutritional status, history of weight loss, mobility, emotional status and food intake to determine if you or your loved one is at risk for malnutrition.
References
- "American Journal of Epidemiology"; Body Mass Index, Weight Change and Death in Older Adults; Grant W. Somes, et al.; July 2002
- MedlinePlus: Nutrition for Seniors
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; About BMI For Adults; February 2011
- Tufts University; Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults; December 2007
- "Journal of American Geriatric Society"; Body Mass Index and Survival in Adults aged 70 to 75; Leon Flicker, et al.; February 2010
