Good nutrition is important for older people, because aging is associated with many chronic diseases, such as stress, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and diseases that affect food intake, such as poor digestion in the digestive system, In general, you should take care of the nutrition of the elderly so that their food contains the necessary nutrients, such as protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and drinking water, and exercise light, such as walking, and follow healthy lifestyles.
Health problems that accompany older people:
- Lack of muscle mass in the body, increase the proportion of fat, and a decrease in the amount of water in the body.
- Low organ ability to perform vital functions, and low metabolic rates in cells.
- Most elderly people suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
- Gastrointestinal problems such as constipation, impaired bowel ability to absorb.
- Defect in the hormones, and weakness in the structural system.
- Loss of teeth, low in various senses, such as hearing, look, taste, and smell.
Food Needs of the Elderly:
The energy needs of older people are reduced due to lack of movement and reduced muscle mass, so older people need less energy to metabolize. The aging needs of the protein increase with age, so the choice of high-efficiency proteins should be considered. The fat should be reduced in the nutrition of the elderly, and focus on unsaturated fats, which works to prevent cardiovascular disease. Older people should also focus on the consumption of complex sugars, avoiding simple sugars, and older foods should also contain vitamins such as vitamin E, A, C, and B vitamins, as well as minerals such as iron, calcium, and existing dietary fiber In vegetables and fruits, drink enough water.
To improve the eating habits of older people:
- Minimize sweets because they contain simple sugars.
- Keep away from canned foods and impurities to contain a high percentage of salts that raise blood pressure.
- Eat dairy products, to contain calcium that prevents osteoporosis.
- Drink water, and reduce stimulants such as tea and coffee.
- Eat many meals, to avoid problems of digestion.
- Keep away from fried foods, and replace them with grilled or boiled, because they contain saturated fats that affect the health of the heart and arteries.
- Exercise like walking.
- Focus on eating vegetables and fruits, for containing vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.
- Eating fish and seafood, omega-3 contains important for cardiovascular health.