Although the nutritional requirements for physical growth disappear at some point, an individual needs nutrition to maintain good health throughout his life. Eating good nutrition can speed recovery from illness, surgery, and fractures, and increase overall quality of life and longevity.
The nutritional needs of a 51-year-old are different than those of 60, 70, 80, and 90-year-olds. Unfortunately, due to insufficient data we cannot say more about age group need and recommendation. However, each elderly person has less than his recommended nutritional intake. Because they are not provided according to the Nutrition Study for the Elderly. They are based on data from studies of young adults;
These studies do not take into account the chronic diseases of the elderly and the fact that the medications they take may affect nutrition .
As the body ages with less weight (muscle and bone) energy needs are much lower and fat is more needed, resulting in a state of ‘resting energy expenditure’ (REE). Bone and joint pain, inability to sit, and ailments such as angina also occur, and physical activity levels decline significantly in the elderly.
Therefore, R.E.E. Energy requirements are also reduced as both deceleration and reduced physical activity appear concurrently. It has also been found that such changes occur at different times in humans. Therefore, caloric requirements cannot be calculated based on age.
Dietary strategies for healthy aging
The elderly can be divided into three categories – active elderly, frail elderly and chronically ill. Each category has a specific nutritional requirement. Many factors influence their eating habits: age, gender, living conditions, psychological and physical health, medications to be taken, and community support.
Except for some nutrients, there are no major changes in the nutritional needs of the active elderly compared to the needs of healthy young adults. They have less calcium, folate and zinc than recommended; It can be easily obtained from milk and milk by-products. Folate is found in high amounts in green vegetables and fruits; Zinc is found in red meat, fish and whole grains.
The nutritional needs of the frail elderly can vary greatly; This group also has a high risk of suffering from malnutrition. Malnutrition causes of frailty include anorexia, low food intake, spontaneous weight loss, and sarcopenia (gradual loss of muscle mass and strength due to aging).
Elderly people with chronic diseases such as heart disease and high-blood pressure need special nutritional requirements to keep the disease under control. Patients with long-term heart disease are advised to reduce saturated fat – red meat, saturated fats such as ghee, butter, cream, coconut oil – and increase fiber – whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables – to maintain a healthy weight.
Weight loss, reducing salt intake, and increasing daily intake of calcium-rich foods, fruits, and vegetables are recommended to reduce hypertension. A balanced diet that includes a little of each type of food can have many positive effects on one’s body and mind. It provides all the necessary nutrients for chiropractic and helps to delay the onset of disease as much as possible and thus maintain the existing good health.
Proper diet can help prevent cancer. Eating more fruits and vegetables rich in phytochemicals and avoiding excess fat can help prevent cancer.