The Elderly and Malnutrition Essay -- Health Nutrition Pyramid Diet

The Elderly and Malnutrition At any eld, nutrition is vital to maintaining wellness and enhancing quality of life. However, achieving good nutrition can be especially rocky for the senior, the fastest growing portion of Americas population. Many factors, including physiological changes, changes in nutritionary needs, illness and physical limitations, food-medication interactions, depression and loneliness, and food insecurity are unwashed causes of malnutrition in the elderly. This paper will explore factors affecting elderly nutrition, forget suggestions for obtaining and maintaining good nutrition after age 65, and describe the services in stock(predicate) to help the elderly meet their nutritional needs. A number of factors cultivate the nutritional status of the elderly. First, several physiological changes impact elderly nutritional requirements. Changes in taste and smell may decrease an individuals appetite or desire for food. Gastro-intestinal motil ity decreases with age and may lead to constipation, decreased nutrient absorption, and a decrease in fat and protein absorption. Metabolism also slows with age this results in a decrease of lean body mass and an add in body fat (8). Lastly, bone mass decreases, leaving the elderly vulnerable to bone fractures from falls and osteoporosis. Ultimately, these physiological changes result in diametric nutritional needs for the elderly. The Food and Nutrition Board of the National academy of Sciences issues the Recommended Daily Allowances for healthy people over the age of 51. However, these RDAs are modified in that they have been derived from studies of younger, healthy populations and do not account ... .... 5) high-priced Nutrition is Ageless. Egg Nutrition Center. 22 Jan. 2002 <http//www.enc-online.org/elderly.htm>. 6) Good Nutrition for Seniors phencyclidine hydrochloride Fact Sheet. 9 Aug. 2001. National Network for Health. 22 Jan. 2002 <http//www.nn h.org/products/gnfs.htm>. 7) Home page. Meals on Wheels Association of America. 22 Jan. 2000. <http//www.projectmeal.org/mowaa.html>. 8) Nutrition Index. Gerontology and Geriatric Dentistry n.d. n. pag. capital of South Carolina University Dental Education Software. N.d. 9) A Profile on Older Americans 2001. 10 Jan. 2002. Administration on Aging. 22 Jan. 2002 <http//www.aoa.gov/default.htm>. 10) The Warning Signs. New York State status for the Aging. 22 Jan. 2002 <http//agingwell.state.ny.us/eatwell/warning.htm>. 11) Wieand, Jane. Telephone Interview. 22 Jan. 2002.