As you grow old, your diet becomes thinner and fewer appetite. Elderly people tend to possess a disordered diet, as their interest within the diet itself diminishes, they skip meals more often, and that they still eat an equivalent food a day. By continuing such a diet for an extended time, they’re going to lack the nutrition necessary to stay their body healthy, and that they will fall under undernutrition.
Especially in recent years, the disorder of eating habits of elderly people living alone has become more serious. one among the characteristics of eating habits is “younger eating habits”. Elderly people living alone are more likely to be undernourished than those living with their families thanks to “lonely eating,” “menu bias,” and “irregularity,” which are almost like the eating habits of living alone in their 20s.
- What is undernutrition?
“Undernutrition” may be a condition during which you are doing not have the quantity of nutrients you would like to measure healthy. The decrease in muscle strength and muscle mass with aging may be a natural senility phenomenon, but when “undernutrition” is added thereto, the condition progresses to ” frail ” and causes sarcopenia and locomotive syndrome. it’ll be an element. “Undernutrition” is considered one among the causes of elderly people requiring medical care and becoming bedridden.
- Undernutrition factors
The factors that cause the elderly to become undernourished are as follows.
- Social factors
Living alone
Lack of long-term care, neglect
Loneliness
poverty
- Psychological and psychological factors
Cognitive impairment
Depression
Fear of aspiration and suffocation
III. Disease factors
Organ failure
Inflammation, malignant neoplasm
pain
Oral problems like dentures
Drug side effects
Chewing and dysphagia
Activities of daily living
Digestive problems (diarrhea, constipation)
- Involvement of aging
Smell and taste disorders
Loss of appetite
- Other
Problems with improper eating habits
Misunderstanding about nutrition
Wrong guidance of medical staff
- Three indicators of undernutrition
The indicators want to determine undernutrition are:
- a) Change in weight
You can tell the degree of undernutrition by the numerical value of the load loss rate.
People who lose quite 3% of their weight within 1 to six months should take care.
How to find the load loss rate?
(Normal Weight-Current weight) ÷ Normal weight x 100
- b) BMI
BMI may be a body mass index that calculates the degree of obesity from height and weight.
How to find BMI?
BMI below 18.5 results in underweight, but older people are at increased risk of undernutrition when BMI falls below 20. However, when calculating the BMI of the elderly, it should be remembered that with age, the peak is shorter than in adolescence.
“Skinny desire” and undernutrition problems that spread to Japanese women
The tendency toward underweight is additionally common among middle-aged and elderly women, and therefore the proportion of underweight in adult women continues to extend year by year. It seems that there are many ladies who feel that they’re fat albeit they are doing not got to reduce. it’s thought that the background is that the tendency that “thinness” has been overly touted as an element that strengthens women’s “desire for thinness”. These extreme “desires for thinness” and “mindfulness for thinness” have an excellent impact on physical and psychological state.
Great care should be taken to not fall under malnutrition thanks to excessive diet or unbalanced diet.
- c) Serum albumin level
Serum albumin may be a sort of protein within the blood that accounts for about 60% of the entire protein, transports nutrients and metabolites, and maintains pressure. If albumin is below 3.5 g / dl as a result of a blood sampling test, undernutrition is suspected, but a decrease in albumin also can occur with high fever, inflammation, and other illnesses. Avoid assessing undernutrition based solely on albumin levels.
- Undernutrition prevention and countermeasures
To prevent undernutrition, start by reviewing your diet.
Three major nutrients
It is important to require in necessary nutrients during a well-balanced manner, including proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, which are called the three major nutrients. you’ll get an honest balance of nutrition just by eating a mixture of staple food, main dish and entremots.
Incorporate snacks to extend the amount of meals
If you discover it difficult to eat multiple meals at just one occasion, you’ll adjust your nutritional intake by dividing one meal into two or by incorporating snacks. rather than sticking to 3 meals each day, attempt to get the nutrition you would like throughout the day.
Let’s devise to form it easier to eat
As we age, our taste, chewing ability, and swallowing ability decline. Cut the ingredients into small pieces and cook until they’re soft enough to be crushed together with your tongue. Use potato starch or gelatin to thicken dishes and water. With these ideas, you’ll prevent aspiration and luxuriate in your meal.
Recommendation of eating together
Eating with relatives and friends tends to extend the quantity of food you consume and increase your satisfaction together with your diet. Through eating behaviors like inviting people to eat and preparing in cooperation, they will feel the reference to society and cause physical and psychological state .
- Dietary guidelines aimed toward preventing aging
Eat well-balanced meals 3 times each day and never skip meals.
Get enough animal protein.
Take fish and meat at a ratio of 1: 1 in order that they’re not biased toward fish.
Eat differing types and parts of meat.
Be careful to not run out of fats and oils.
Drink a minimum of 200 ml (1 bottle) of milk daily.
Eat many sorts of vegetables, like green and yellow vegetables and root vegetables, and cook them over the warmth to extend their intake.