Food and Nutrition in the Elderly

When you reach old age, energy expenditure is reduced by sedentary lifestyle, since at this stage of life the organism presents a series of modifications such as the loss of muscle mass, the decrease in bone density, reduced mobility of joints, which lead to slower movements, body composition and needs are modified, which is why the diet must be adapted to the body's demand.

The aging process is a period of life, characterized by the set of changes in the structure and function of the organs and body tissues that are occurring over time, displaying certain irreversible physiological changes, which intervene in different ways in health but especially in the nutrition of the elderly. Therefore, in the third age it is essential to maintain an adequate nutritional status to increase longevity, improve the quality of life, that is to say that both health, food, age influence and interact in the way the body responds.

Poor nutrition is a serious health problem, the elderly are the segment of the population with the highest prevalence, we know that the increase in morbidity, mortality, occurs in people at extreme ages including the elderly, as it increases the risk of infections due to weakness of the immune system, wounds with poor healing, less bone mass that can lead to falls, fractures due to muscle weakness, malnutrition can lead to a lack of interest in food or appetite, causing higher levels of hospitalization risk, death, so it is essential to take measures to ensure that seniors eat a nutrient-rich and basic diet.

As a consequence, due to age, a change in the way people feed occurs, the elderly have to adapt their diet to the new condition of their digestive system, altering the type of food that is easy for them to swallow, digest, that provide the necessary nutrients, according to the physiological characteristics, conditions, activity, that older adults suffer according to their body. It is necessary that nutrition at these ages is rich in fruits, legumes, vegetables, blue fish, white meats, due to the increase in fats and a loss of tissues due to metabolic, bodily changes, motivated by energy needs are reduced with the least physical activity due to a decrease in basal metabolism.

From the age of 60 and 70, the ideal is to eat fruits, vegetables, white meats, nuts, vegetables, legumes, dairy products or derivatives, fish, for this reason the products with sugars should be reduced as well as the hydrates of carbon, it is convenient to eat eggs, foods rich in water, vitamins and antioxidants, such as raw green leaves with purifying effect, vegetables in addition to vitamins are antioxidants. Often, limitations in eating, such as decreased consumption of salt, fat, protein or sugar, can help control certain diseases, but they can also contribute to poor nutrition for the elderly.

It is important to have knowledge about nutrition, nutrition for the elderly, since it is one of the most frequent and least attended problems, which is why it should be prevented, treated to raise the quality of life, without complications, that Have a useful status until the end of your days. That is why it is essential to control the risk factors that influence the nutritional status of the elderly, physiological changes present in the digestive, respiratory, renal, nervous subsystems, disorders in the sensory organs, psychological changes that occur at this stage of life.

The need for gradual changes in the lifestyles of the population is stressed through nutritional education that leads to healthy eating, physical exercise, to achieve longevity with appropriate quality of life, applying primary prevention, it is possible This helps to prevent several diseases, since nutritional assessment is an instrument for prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of the elderly, which must be periodically carried out in order to detect eating disorders.

In this last stage of life, it is significant and valuable for older people to eat everything but not in large portions, which is why a healthy diet is advised, any change in diet, however small, can change a lot. health, the well-being of an elderly person, since they must follow a balanced diet, rich, varied in all nutrients and vitamins, such as vitamin D found in legumes, green vegetables, fruits, cereals, liver, brewer's yeast. Vitamin B12 is obtained through enriched cereals, lean meats, liver, fish, shellfish, calcium is very important for bones, because the elderly is the risk of osteoporosis, Zinc is a natural antioxidant that regulates the immune system, the Fiber is recommended for the elderly because they suffer more frequently from constipation, so they need to eat fiber-rich foods such as bread, whole grains, among others.

However, the deficit in the intake of certain micronutrients such as vitamins D, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, which usually occurs in sedentary people, who have special dietary needs, are at greater risk of malnutrition. From the nutritional point of view, the most important consequence of muscle loss is its impact on the individual's energy needs, the maintenance of an adequate lean mass can be improved through exercise, increase appetite, decrease calorie consumption. When an elderly person is losing weight, it is important to identify any factor that is contributing to this problem and treat it, to evaluate any restriction in the diet of the elderly until they eat better, so that nutrition problems are detected and they are It provides nutritional supplements that can provide more nutrients that you may not get with food.

Conclusion:

To conclude this study it is important to keep in mind several points, in the nutrition of the elderly, the first of these is primary care to improve the management of risk factors, in turn the early identification of noncommunicable diseases, but above all the prevention and control of them through various activities mainly in the care of food that must be the healthiest for these older people to achieve the necessary quality of life.