As human beings age, changes take place in their bodies, which affect their nutrient availability. The process of aging affects the ability of the body to absorb different nutrients. For instance, the elderly have a lower capacity for absorbing nutrients like calcium (World Health Organization 18). As one age, the stomach secretes low amounts of hydrochloric acid, which can reduce the volume of calcium being absorbed. Moreover, the bodies of the elderly excrete more nutrients, which is a factor that further reduces the number of nutrients available. For example, the hormonal changes that take place as one ages may cause more calcium to be eliminated through the kidneys (World Health Organization 19).
The nutrient needs of the elderly also change because of increased body fat and reduced muscle mass. Reduction in activity means that fewer calories are needed for the elderly per day. Hence, the challenge senior citizens encounter is that they continue eating the same foods as they did during their youth, though they consume fewer calories at the senior age (World Health Organization 20). The solution to this challenge is to eat foods that have high nutrients and low calories. Foods rich in nutrients but with low calories are called “nutrient-dense foods”. For instance, low-fat milk is rich in nutrients and has low calories than regular milk does because it has low levels of fat (World Health Organization 20).
The protein needs of the elderly do not change with age. However, researchers are still to carry out their studies to prove this assumption. Protein needs for the elderly can vary due to chronic illness. In addition, the absorption of protein may decline with age, and the body may synthesize less protein (World Health Organization 21). However, nutrition experts have cautioned that protein consumption by the elderly should not be increased frequently because of reduced kidney function. Reducing the amount of fat in the diet consumed by the elderly is recommendable, and it is the easiest way of lowering calories. This is crucial in reducing weight and averting chronic illness. It is estimated that 60 percent of the calories consumed by the elderly should be obtained from carbohydrates, especially complex carbohydrates (World Health Organization 22).
In most cases, vitamin deficiency is not evident among the elderly, but any disease can lay significant stress on the body and deplete all the stored vitamins. Medications are also known to affect many vitamins, and the elderly should consume nutrient-dense food with high vitamins and minerals. The absorption of calcium and iron is also reduced among the elderly (Bernstein and Schmidt 43). To enhance the absorption of iron, fruits, and vegetables rich in vitamin C should be included in the diet of the elderly. Water as a nutrient has never been given adequate attention even though it is the most important component of people’s bodies. Drinking enough water enhances kidney function among the elderly, which reduces with age, and lowers the chances of constipation (Bernstein and Schmidt 43).
Nutritional experts maintain that individuals belonging to all age groups need more than 40 nutrients to remain healthy. As people age, their diet must contain adequate levels of calcium, iron, protein, fiber, folacin, and vitamins A, C, and D. Furthermore, the diet of the elderly should have reduced calories, nutrient-dense foods, low fat, sodium, and sugar. The diet of seniors often lacks variety, and the elderly end up eating the same foods repeatedly (Bernstein and Schmidt 44). This paper makes the following suggestions that would help the elderly introduce variety in their diet and meet their nutritional needs. The elderly should:
- Eat at least five meals made up of vegetables and fruits every day;
- Increase variety using different textures in meals; this means that whole grain cereals, cooked legumes, and whole-grain breads should be included in their daily ration;
- Use color to assist in ensuring variety in meals as a healthy meal should have three distinct colors;
- Eat meals meant for lunch during breakfast or meals meant for lunch during dinner.
One of the programs available to seniors with nutrient needs is the senior Farm Direct Nutrition Program (SFDNP), which is financed by the U.S Department of Agriculture. This program caters to the needs of the elderly who qualify but have financial difficulties. It gives them checks that they utilize in purchasing fresh fruits, herbs, and vegetables available at the local market. The checks issued can only be used in farm markets approved by the federal government. This program is mainly operational in the state of Oregon, and it is meant to support the elderly and farmers (State of Oregon para. 1).
Another program available to seniors with nutrient needs is the nutrition services in California offered by the California Department of Aging and financed through the federal Older American Act. This program provides help for the elderly in California who are 60 years and above, with priority being given to multi-ethnic people from low social-economic backgrounds. This program offers nutrition to the elderly in a group setup, and meals are also delivered at home for the elderly who are 60 years and above and homebound due to disability or illness (State of California para. 30).
From a personal experience, I have learned how the nutritional needs of human beings change with age and how various factors affect the intake of nutrients among the elderly. In the future, the knowledge acquired in writing this paper will assist me in meeting the nutritional needs of senior citizens.
References
Bernstein, Melissa and Luggen, Ann Schmidt. Nutrition for the Older Adult. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2010. Print.
The state of Oregon. “Aging People with Disabilities: Senior Farm Direct Nutrition Program (SFDNP)”. oregon.gov, 2013. Web
The state of California. “Programs & Services.” aging.ca.gov, 2012. Web.
World Health Organization. Keep Fit For Life: Meeting The Nutritional Needs Of Older Persons. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2002. Print.