The portion of food for the elderly must be regulated to maintain their health

Entering old age, most people will begin to lose their appetite and / or reduce food portions - whether on purpose or not. This is caused by various things. Starting from the decreased function of the sense of smell and taste, as well as the function of the digestive tract, to unfavorable emotional conditions due to depression or decreased cognitive function of the brain. This condition can cause the elderly to lose energy reserves and not get enough nutrition, which can cause more serious health impacts such as anorexia, organ dysfunction, and even increase the risk of death.

That is why it is important for family members and carers to adjust the food portions for the elderly, based on their daily calorie needs.

Why do you have to adjust the portion of food for the elderly?

It is important to regulate the food portion of the elderly to support their health. Many elderly people have high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes. These diseases can be controlled or even prevented by maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise.

In addition, many elderly people are overweight. This affects their ability to move and increases the risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Therefore, the elderly must control their eating portions so they don't overdo it, so they can maintain their weight instead of gaining weight.

Regulating the food portion of the elderly is also important so that the elderly are not deficient in certain nutrients. Some of the nutrients that are often not consumed by the elderly are vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin C and calcium. All of these nutrients can be obtained from grains (such as wheat), fruit, vegetables, milk and their products, as well as meat and their products. The fulfillment of these nutrients can prevent the elderly from memory loss, anemia, or depression.

How much calorie needs for the elderly?

To find out how many portions to eat for the elderly, you should first know how many calorie needs for the elderly. This is because calorie needs affect a person's portion of food. It seems that the calorie needs of the elderly have decreased. Because, calorie needs are based on age, gender, body weight, height, and level of physical activity.

The older a person is, the less calorie requirements are compared to younger people of the same gender, body weight, and level of physical activity. Moreover, the older a person is, usually the less physical activity one does. As a result, their calorie needs have also decreased.

Calorie needs for each elderly must be different. To find out, you can check it at Calorie Requirement Calculator.

How much is a good portion to eat for the elderly?

How many portions of food are needed by the elderly, of course, varies between individuals. This depends on the calorie needs of the elderly, which are certainly different. However, as reported by the National Institute on Aging, generally the elderly or people over 50 years of age need to eat food every day as follows:

Five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Or, it can be divided into 150-250 grams of fruit per day and 200-350 grams of vegetables per day.
150-300 grams of rice, wheat, or other grains per day. This amount can be divided into three, so for example, if you eat breakfast, you only need to take 100 grams of rice or one spoon of rice.
Food sources of protein, such as chicken, fish, meat, tofu and tempeh, amounting to 150-200 grams per day.
Milk or dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, 3 glasses per day. Choose fat-free or low-fat milk.
Oil of 5-8 teaspoons.
Limit the use of sugar to 4 tablespoons and salt to 1 teaspoon.

Each elderly must be different, but the point is to fill the plate with food sources of carbohydrates, food sources of vegetable and animal protein, vegetables, and fruits. These five elements must be in the plate at every main meal and must be varied so that all the nutrients are met properly. Don't forget to set meal times, at least three main meals and two interludes between main meals. Remember, eat little but often.