Healthy eating habits are essential for the elderly. As they age, physiological changes affect their ability to ingest, digest food and absorb nutrients, making them prone to insufficient intake of protein and micronutrients, resulting in problems such as emaciation and anemia. So, how should the elderly eat to achieve scientific nutrition?
Recommendations for the elderly aged 65 and above:
- Rich food variety, sufficient animal food, and frequent consumption of soy products.
- Encourage eating together, maintain a good appetite, and enjoy delicious food.
- Active outdoor activities, delay muscle decay, and maintain a suitable weight.
- Regular health examinations, assessment of nutritional status, and prevention of nutritional deficiencies.
Recommendations for the elderly aged 80 and above:
- Diverse food encourages multiple ways of eating.
- Choose foods with a fine texture and high energy and nutrient density.
- Eat more fish, poultry, meat, eggs, milk and beans, and moderate amounts of vegetables and fruits.
- Pay attention to weight loss, conduct regular nutritional screening and assessment, and prevent malnutrition.
- Timely and reasonable nutritional supplements to improve the quality of life.
- Adhere to fitness and intellectual activities to promote physical and mental health.
Mainly cereals, with a combination of coarse and fine grains, and moderate intake of whole grain foods
Ensure the intake of cereals and potatoes. Depending on the level of physical activity, the daily intake of cereals for men is 250g-300g, and for women is 200g-250g, of which the daily intake of whole grain foods or coarse grains is 50g-100g, with a combination of coarse and fine grains.
Eat fish, poultry, eggs and lean meat regularly to ensure the supply of high-quality protein
The average daily intake of poultry eggs, fish, shrimp and poultry meat is 120g-150g, including 40g-50g of eggs, 40g-50g of livestock meat (lean), and 40g-50g of fish. Ensure that high-quality protein accounts for 50% or more of the total dietary protein supply.
Moderate intake of milk, soybeans and their products
300-400ml of fresh milk or an equivalent amount of dairy products should be consumed daily.
At the same time, 15g of soybeans or an equivalent amount of soy products (such as soy milk, tofu, dried tofu, etc.) should be consumed daily.
Take enough vegetables and fruits, eat more dark vegetables
Ensure a sufficient daily intake of fresh vegetables and fruits, pay attention to the variety of choices, eat more dark vegetables and cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage, kale, mustard, etc.). The recommended daily vegetable intake is 300g~400g, of which dark vegetables account for half; the recommended daily fruit intake is 100g~200g.
Eat a light diet, less oil, and limit salt
The diet should be light, and the average daily cooking oil consumption should be controlled at 20g~25g, and try to use a variety of vegetable oils. Reduce pickled foods, and the daily salt intake should not exceed 5.0g.
Actively drink water, mainly boiled water
Actively drink water in small amounts and multiple times to maintain the body's normal needs. The amount of water you drink should decrease with age. The recommended daily water intake is 1.5L~1.7L, mainly warm boiled water. The specific amount of water you drink should be adjusted according to your personal condition. When it is hot or you are doing moderate or above physical activities, you should increase your water intake appropriately.
You should limit the amount of alcohol you drink daily
The alcohol content should not exceed 15g, which is equivalent to 450ml of beer, 150ml of wine, or 50g of 38-degree liquor. Elderly people with liver disease, tumors, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases should not drink alcohol, and should not drink alcohol during disease treatment.
Soft food, small meals, and sufficient food intake
Food should be soft, chopped and cooked. It is not advisable to provide hard, large, brittle, or boney/thorny food. The texture and properties of food should be changed through cooking and processing to make it easier to chew and swallow. The number of meals should be three meals and two points, and each meal should account for the total energy of the whole day: 20% to 25% for breakfast, 5% to 10% for morning snacks, 30% to 35% for lunch, 5% to 10% for afternoon snacks, and 25% to 30% for dinner.
Ensure adequate food intake, and the total amount of non-liquid food intake per day should not be less than 800g.
Enjoy meals, and the meals are fresh and hygienic
Create a warm and pleasant dining environment and atmosphere. The elderly in the dining centers and nursing homes should eat together. When necessary, family members and caregivers should assist or accompany the meals. The food is fresh and hygienic.
Supplement nutrition reasonably to prevent malnutrition
When dietary intake is insufficient, use nutritional supplements reasonably. For the elderly who are malnourished or at risk of nutrition, under the guidance of a clinical nutritionist or doctor, choose appropriate special medical formula foods (medical foods), supplement 400-600kcal per day, containing 15-30g of protein, and take it in 2-3 times between meals.
On the basis of reasonable nutrition, the dietary guidelines recommend that the elderly actively participate in outdoor activities according to their health conditions to delay muscle attenuation, which is also an important way to maintain a suitable weight. Outdoor activities under the sun are conducive to the synthesis of vitamin D in the human body, while strengthening bones, improving the flexibility and flexibility of the spine and joints throughout the body, and reducing the occurrence and development of muscle attenuation. When exercising, the elderly should do what they can, choose a variety of physical activities according to local conditions, and try to exercise the whole body; try to choose slow and gentle methods such as walking, brisk walking, and Tai Chi, which can help the elderly maintain a healthy physical and mental state. However, excessive intensity and excessive activities should be avoided to avoid adverse events such as muscle injury or falls.
