Nutritional Diet for the Elderly to Ensure Adequate Nutrition

A nutritional diet for the elderly plays a crucial role in maintaining health, preventing diseases, and improving quality of life. To ensure adequate nutrition, older adults should prioritize foods rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, while limiting salt, sugar, and saturated fats. Staying hydrated and dividing meals throughout the day also helps improve digestion and keeps the body healthy, reducing the risk of chronic diseases common in this age group.

1. Nutritional Needs of the Elderly

The nutritional needs of the elderly need to be adjusted to accommodate changes in physical activity, metabolism, and age-related health risks. Nutritional supplementation for the elderly should ensure adequate provision of both quantity and quality of essential nutrients. Nutritional recommendations for the elderly include:

Energy

• Men: 60-70 years old: 2,000-2,400 calories/day (depending on physical activity level). Over 70 years old: 1,800-2,200 kcal/day.
• Women: 60-70 years old: 1,600-2,000 kcal/day. Over 70 years old: 1,500-1,800 kcal/day.

Protein

Recommendation: 1-1.2 g protein/kg body weight per day.

Fat

Total fat: Should account for 20-35% of total daily energy. Prioritize monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and limit saturated fats.

Carbohydrates

45-65% of total daily energy from carbohydrates. Choose complex carbs. Fiber content for the elderly should be about 25-30 g of fiber per day to reduce constipation, control cholesterol, and support digestion.

Vitamins and Minerals

• Calcium: 1,200 mg/day to prevent osteoporosis. Can be supplemented from milk, low-fat dairy products, green vegetables, and soft-boned fish like salmon.
• Vitamin D: 800-1,000 IU/day to support calcium absorption and bone protection. Can be supplemented from sunlight, food (like fatty fish, egg yolks) or supplements.
• Vitamin B12: 2.4 mcg/day. Due to decreased ability to absorb vitamin B12 with age, the elderly should supplement from functional foods or B12-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and milk.
• Vitamin C: 75-90 mg/day helps boost the immune system and is an antioxidant.
• Iron: 8 mg/day. Need to supplement enough iron from red meat, liver, and green leafy vegetables to avoid anemia.
• Potassium: 4,700 mg/day helps regulate blood pressure. Potassium-rich food sources include bananas, oranges, sweet potatoes, and green vegetables.

Water Recommendation

About 1.5-2 liters of water per day (6-8 cups), depending on physique and activity level. Drinking enough water is very important because older people often feel less thirsty but still need to maintain body hydration.

2. Why Do the Elderly Face the Risk of Malnutrition?

Older people face a higher risk of malnutrition due to many factors related to changes in the body, lifestyle, and health. Common causes of malnutrition in the elderly include:

Decreased Nutrient Absorption

• Changes in the digestive system: As age increases, the elderly’s digestive system slows down. This reduces the ability to absorb important nutrients, especially vitamin B12, calcium, and iron.
• Decreased digestive enzymes: The body produces fewer enzymes, making it more difficult to digest protein, carbohydrates, and fats.

Changes in Taste and Appetite

• Loss of taste and smell: Older people often gradually lose their ability to perceive flavors, making eating less appealing and reducing food intake.
• Dry mouth: Older adults often experience dry mouth due to medication or natural aging, causing difficulties in chewing, swallowing, and digesting food.
• Decreased sense of hunger: As metabolism slows, older people may not feel hungry as often, causing them to eat less and not get enough nutrients.

Dental Problems

• Weak teeth or tooth loss: Many older people have difficulty chewing food due to tooth loss or denture use. This causes them to avoid foods that require thorough chewing like meat and hard vegetables, leading to nutrient deficiencies.
• Gum disease or gingivitis: Oral problems also reduce the ability to consume a variety of foods, especially hard and nutrient-rich foods.

Decreased Motor Function

• Limited mobility: Older people often have difficulty moving, making it hard for them to shop, prepare meals, or eat on time.
• Loss of self-care ability: Elderly people living alone or having difficulty in daily activities may not be able to cook or take care of their nutrition properly.

Chronic Diseases

• Chronic diseases: Diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, and memory decline (like Alzheimer’s) are common in the elderly. These diseases can reduce appetite, cause fatigue, or require dietary restrictions, thereby reducing nutrient absorption.
• Medication use: Older adults often have to take multiple medications, and some drugs can affect taste, cause nausea, or negatively impact the ability to absorb nutrients.

Loneliness and Depression

• Loneliness: Older people often feel lonely, especially if living alone or having lost loved ones, leading to a loss of interest in meals.
• Depression: Depression can cause a loss of interest in eating, leading to eating less or skipping meals, increasing the risk of malnutrition.

Economic and Financial Issues

• Financial difficulties: Many older people live on limited incomes, making them unable to afford diverse, nutritious foods, leading to nutritional deficiencies.
• Lack of social support: Elderly people, especially those living alone, without support from family or community may have difficulty accessing food and nutritional care.

Inappropriate Dieting

Older people may follow strict diets to control medical conditions, but if not done properly, this can lead to deficiencies in important nutrient groups, such as good fats, proteins, or vitamins.

Decreased Immune Function

Older people have weaker immune systems, making them more susceptible to infections and diseases, reducing their ability to consume and absorb nutrients when the body is fighting against illness.

3. Nutritional Diet for the Elderly to Ensure Adequate Nutrition and Health

A nutritional diet for the elderly needs to be scientifically designed to ensure adequate nutrition and support overall health. Providing full nutrition for the elderly, combined with a healthy lifestyle and gentle physical activity, will help prevent chronic diseases, maintain body functions, and improve quality of life.

Basic principles of a diet for the elderly:

3.1. Choose Nutrient-Dense but Low-Calorie Foods

Older people need fewer calories but still need to ensure adequate nutrition. Choose foods with high nutrient density such as fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meat, beans, and whole grains.

• Fruits and vegetables: Provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Eat a variety of green leafy vegetables, colorful vegetables and fruits to ensure a full supply of nutrients.
• Whole grains: Choose whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal, or whole wheat bread to provide sustainable energy and help control blood sugar.

3.2. Ensure Adequate Protein Supply

Older people need protein to maintain and repair muscle tissue, especially to prevent muscle loss (sarcopenia) due to aging.

• Quality protein sources: Fish, lean meat, eggs, milk, nuts, and beans. Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel also provide omega-3 fatty acids, good for cardiovascular and brain health.
• Recommended protein amount: About 1-1.2 g protein/kg body weight per day.

3.3. Good Fats

• Choose unsaturated fats: From vegetable oils (olive oil, sunflower oil), nuts, and fish. These fats help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Limit saturated and trans fats: Avoid foods containing saturated fats from animal fats, fast food, fried foods, and butter.

3.4. Supplement Fiber

Fiber is very important in supporting digestion, preventing constipation, controlling cholesterol and blood sugar.

• Good fiber sources: Whole grains, green vegetables, fruits, and beans.
• Older adults should consume about 25-30 g of fiber per day.

3.5. Essential Vitamins and Minerals

• Calcium and Vitamin D: Essential for bone health, preventing osteoporosis. Good calcium sources include milk and dairy products, green vegetables, and soft-boned fish like sardines. Vitamin D can be supplemented through sunbathing or foods like fatty fish, egg yolks.
• Vitamin B12: Essential to maintain nervous system function and blood cell production. Older people often poorly absorb vitamin B12 so they may need supplements from pills or functional foods.
• Iron: Helps prevent anemia, can be supplemented from red meat, liver, and green leafy vegetables.
• Potassium: Supports blood pressure and cardiovascular health. Good potassium sources include bananas, potatoes, and vegetables.

3.6. Drink Enough Water

Older people often have a reduced sense of thirst, easily leading to dehydration. Need to drink about 1.5-2 liters of water per day, from plain water, broth, or fruit water. Should limit carbonated drinks, caffeine or high sugar content.

3.7. Control Salt (Sodium)

Limit the amount of salt in the diet to avoid high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Recommended below 2,300 mg sodium/day, equivalent to about 1 teaspoon of salt. Avoid processed foods, canned foods, and fast food because they contain a lot of sodium.

3.8. Reduce Sugar Intake

Reduce sugar in the diet to control weight and reduce the risk of diabetes. Avoid sweets, carbonated soft drinks, and sugary drinks.

3.9. Divide Meals

Older people can eat divided into several small meals (4-6 meals/day) for easy digestion and ensure adequate energy supply throughout the day. This also helps better control blood sugar.

3.10. Combine with Physical Activity

Gentle exercise such as walking, yoga, or swimming helps maintain cardiovascular health, improves flexibility, and supports digestion.

A nutritional diet for the elderly is very important for good health, needs to provide adequate protein, good fats, essential vitamins and minerals, while limiting salt, sugar, and saturated fats. In addition, supplementing enough water and dividing meals will help them maintain health, prevent diseases and improve quality of life, increasing longevity.

References: Medlineplus.gov, Betterhealth.vic.gov.au, Health.gov, Nutrition.org.uk