Senior Health: Are Nutrition Needs Different When You Get Older?

If you have been hospitalized recently you may have been interviewed by a nurse, a social worker, or a discharge planner, about your nutritional needs.   One of the standard offerings, designed to get you through difficult times, is the Meals on Wheels program.  I was always surprised by the reasons that people gave for refusing, even though it was pretty obvious that they weren’t really cooking for themselves at home.

 

We all know that children eat poorly.  It is common knowledge that they like to trade healthy lunch items for soft drinks and cookies.  You never really knew what your kids were eating when they were away from home.   Many older people eat poorly too, for a variety of reasons.  A combination of bad health habits, poverty, dental problems, and lack of knowledge, are a few of reasons that come in to play.

 

For many older people, the same guidelines hold true that you learned in grade school, but a few age-related changes need to be taken into consideration.

 

·        Calories:  Sadly, it takes fewer calories to live and function normally.  This means that you have to either eat less to maintain your weight or exercise more.

 

·        Water Balance:  Older people are at a higher risk for dehydration, and should consume one and a half to two quarts of fluid per day.  In many ways your body works against you. A lower capacity for conserving water via the kidneys, coupled with a lower sensation of thirst, makes it difficult to remember that you need to drink more than you think you need.

 

·        Fat:  Older people should follow the same guidelines for fat intake as they did when they were younger; that is, no more than 30% of your calorie intake should be from fat.

 

·        Carbohydrates:  Carbohydrates should supply 55-60% of your daily intake, but most people get no more than 45-50%.  The emphasis should be on complex carbohydrates that contains fiber.

 

·        Protein:  Older people may need more protein than younger people.  Protein is found in meats, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products.  Many older people do not eat enough protein because of an inability to chew or because they cannot afford meat. 

 

Many older people are deficient in vitamin B6, folic cid and B12, Vitamin C and Vitamin D, as well as the antioxidants (vitamin A, C, and E, Beta Carotene and Selenium.   Requirements for most vitamins and minerals do not change with age.  Calcium is another important but neglected necessity.  If you don’t like taking huge pills, milk is an excellent source of both Vitamin D and Calcium.  Most supplements can be found in the food you eat, if you eat a balanced diet.

 

John W. Rowe, M.D. in his book “Successful Aging,” writes about an exciting new era of health promotion and disease prevention.  This promotion focuses on things that we can do for ourselves.  Diet and exercise are the tools for preventing or delaying many of the chronic diseases associated with aging. Successful aging revolves around the benefits achieved through exercise and healthy eating habits.