Nutrition a Focus of Healthy Ageing

Nutrition a Focus of Healthy Ageing

The New Zealand Nutrition Foundation (NZNF) is putting the spotlight on the role of nutrition in healthy ageing today for the International Day of Older Persons.

Good nutritional health plays a crucial part in quality of life as people age however the ageing process can result in changes affecting enjoyment of meals and eating.

“As people age, they commonly experience a reduction in taste and smell and often have digestive and dental problems,” says NZNF Dietician Sarah Hanrahan. “However despite these issues it’s vitally important for older people to continue to eat a healthy, varied diet.”

While being overweight in younger people increases health risks, for older people being somewhat overweight can give them a buffer against ill health.

“Weight loss during illness can be very difficult to restore, so having something ‘to fall back on’ is critical, especially for the more frail older people,” says Hanrahan. “We really want to encourage frail older people to eat enough to sustain them; this can mean that many foods like ice cream can be back on the menu.”

For many frail older people, reduced food intake can make it difficult to get the daily requirement of nutrients.

“We recommend frail older people eat their main meal when they are most hungry,” says Hanrahan. “Some people prefer dinner at night, others at midday – there are no rules! But we do recommend at least 3 meals a day to ensure nutritional needs are met.”

Nutritional tips for older people:
• When possible, eat with other people – the social engagement of eating with others will improve your enjoyment of your meal and you are more likely to eat well
• Learn about cooking for one or two if this is a problem for you, and if you can cook, keep it up – invite others to share your meal, or take shortcuts by making more than you need and freezing the leftovers for another day
• If you are a smaller eater, eat more often and have something to eat for morning and afternoon tea – such as cheese and crackers, small muffins or scones, milky drinks or yoghurt, fruit.
• As a change from meat, fish or chicken every day, try other sources of easy to prepare protein-rich foods, like eggs, baked beans or other legumes

ENDS

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