In developed countries, the percentage of people over the age of 60 is constantly growing. This, of course, is due to improved living standards and health care. But an important role in maintaining the normal functioning of the body, mental and physical health of the elderly is also played by proper nutrition, taking into account age characteristics.
Physiological processes in old age
Due to the high quality of life, it was possible not only to increase its average duration, but also to significantly push back the age limit, after the transition of which a person is considered elderly. If even 100 years ago people who reached the age of 40 were referred to as such, today we can talk about a conditional border of 55-60 years.
At this age, signs of aging of the body begin to appear - the intensity of metabolic processes gradually decreases, basal metabolic rates decrease, oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide release decrease, protein metabolism and the process of accumulation of lipid components in tissues slow down. In addition, biological oxidation enzymes in the liver, kidneys and heart tissues become less active, and the process of glucose utilization slows down.
It is clear that in old age it is necessary to adjust your diet taking into account the ongoing changes in the body and to exclude the occurrence of micronutrient deficiencies and protein-energy malnutrition. These factors can cause many diseases common to older people.
To eliminate the deficiency of vitamins from food, you should take artificial vitamin complexes, adapted to the needs of the body of the elderly.
Good nutrition in old age
A properly composed diet will allow not only to maintain health, but also significantly extend the years of a full life. It should be borne in mind that the energy demand of the body in old age decreases and at 60-69 years old it is 85% of the needs of a 20-30-year-old person, and at the age of 70-79 years - only 75%.
In old age, overeating and excessive consumption of fatty foods are especially harmful; this is a direct road to atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and many other diseases that accelerate the aging process. Prevention of aging is the control over the ratio of consumed energy and caloric content of food consumed.
The diet of the elderly must necessarily include a sufficient amount of biomicroelements, phospholipids, polyunsaturated fatty acids.
The nutritional factor also belongs to the peculiarities of nutrition at this age. This means that the diet should be balanced and exclude deficiencies in proteins, carbohydrates or lipids, as well as essential amino acids and vitamins. Nutrition at this age should have an anti-atherosclerotic focus, be as diverse and balanced as possible, provided with substances that stimulate the activity of the body's enzymes. The food itself should be fairly digestible.
