The causes of malnutrition in the elderly and how to prevent it

Elderly people are very vulnerable to experiencing malnutrition or malnutrition. Therefore, eating healthy food becomes very important as we get older. When the elderly are malnourished, their health condition will deteriorate and become susceptible to disease. If allowed, this condition can reduce the quality of life. For that, let's prevent malnutrition in the elderly in the following ways.

Why are the elderly vulnerable to malnutrition?

Aging causes the body to undergo various changes from muscle loss, thinner skin, to less stomach acid. Quoted from research published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, this is usually caused by atopic gastritis.

When a person has this disease, the resulting stomach acid will continue to decrease. This condition causes the absorption of certain nutrients such as vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and magnesium to decrease. In fact, the older you are, the more nutrients you need so that your body can carry out its functions properly.

However, even though more and more nutrients are needed, the elderly have lower calorie needs than younger people. This is often one of the reasons why elderly people experience malnutrition. The reason is, he needs the same amount of nutrition but on the other hand he has to eat fewer calories.

In addition, another problem that causes malnutrition in others is the reduced ability of the body to recognize hunger and thirst. As a result, the elderly often experience unintended weight loss because of this.

The problem of appetite that continues to decline because the senses of taste and smell are increasingly sensitive to smell food is also one of the causes. Not only that, various conditions experienced such as dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) also make the elderly have no appetite to eat.

How to prevent malnutrition in the elderly

Here are various ways to prevent malnutrition in the elderly that you can do, namely:

Provide food with high nutritional value

As a person who takes care of the elderly, you are obliged to provide high nutritious food. Try asking your parents what processed foods they want to eat. This is done in an effort to increase his appetite. Try to provide a nutritionally balanced diet without exceeding the required calories.

You can replace white rice with brown rice or plain bread usually with whole wheat bread. Don't forget to always provide vegetables and fruit in every meal menu. So that your appetite is maintained, you also need to be creative in processing food so that your parents don't get bored quickly.

Give supplements

Supplements help provide additional nutrients that you don't get from food. In addition, supplements also help meet nutritional needs without exceeding the calorie limit that should be. However, try to consult your doctor first about suitable supplements.

Provide healthy snacks between meals

To avoid malnutrition in the elderly, try to prevent it by providing healthy snacks between meals. Fruit, juices, and various other healthy foods can be alternative healthy snacks that you can provide. You can also ask about what kind of snack you want to eat to suit your taste.

Get some exercise

Exercise is not only healthy for the body but also helps stimulate the appetite of your loved one. The reason is, even though light exercise will burn the body's calories and stimulate hunger. Walking is a relaxing sport that you can do together with your parents.

Plan Social Activities

Turn mealtime and exercise into social activities. Encourage your parents to meet neighbors or friends for lunch. By being social, your parents may be more excited when eating food.