A slimming diet is part of the step we take to lose unwanted weight. However, dieting is also a way of maintaining energy, vitality, a healthy figure and keeping our bodies in good and healthy shape. This is why not only young people, but also adults and the elderly, reach for diets. It is therefore useful to know what kind of diet older people should be following.
Problems of the mature body
Diseases and ailments of the digestive system are very common in older people, e.g. gastro-oesophageal reflux, gastric cancer and intestinal cancer. Many seniors also have a history of surgery or operations requiring a diet. Some, on the other hand, have difficulty chewing and swallowing food due to a complete or partial lack of teeth.
All the above-mentioned factors call for a diet that does not cause unpleasant stomach discomfort. The most suitable diet for people over 80 years of age is an easily digestible diet, which is a modification of the basic dietary recommendations prepared for healthy people. Eating foods that are easy to digest will not overburden the gastrointestinal tract and therefore will not exacerbate existing symptoms. Nor will the use of additional digestive support preparations be necessary.
An easy-to-digest diet is a modification of nutrition designed for healthy people. This means that energy requirements should be determined individually for each senior citizen. This can easily be done with the help of calculators available on the Internet, by asking your doctor or nurse, or by going for a consultation with a dietician. The specialist will take into account lifestyle, activities and dietary preferences.
Diet, but what kind …?
The aim of a properly composed diet for seniors is to cover their body’s needs in a way that delays the natural ageing processes as much as possible, while at the same time reducing the risk of nutrition-related diseases. It is also to alleviate discomfort associated with those already present and to improve test results.
An equally important aspect of a well-chosen menu is to plan meals that are enjoyable for the senior citizen, reducing or bypassing discomforts and limitations related to, for example, the possibility of impaired taste, smell or difficulty in digesting and absorbing nutrients.
With a weight loss diet for the elderly, it is somewhat the same as with a diet for the young. This is because older people need exactly the same nutrients as young people, the difference being that as they age, their body requires them in slightly different proportions. Energy requirements generally decrease (due to a lower basal metabolic rate associated with a lower lean mass as well as the usual lower physical activity), while nutrient requirements often increase.
What to eat and what not to eat?
With diet in the elderly, it is the same as with natural fat burning. You need to pay close attention to what you eat, how much you eat and when you eat it. It may not be possible, for example, to introduce raw vegetables or fruit into the diet due to digestive problems or reflux disease, dairy products due to lactose intolerance or to limit salt as much as possible. It may also be necessary to change the consistency of dishes, or even to enrich them with special nutrients. However, it should be remembered that the elderly have a much greater need for vitamins such as:
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B12,
- Folic acid
- Vitamin B2
The primary source of nutrients should be food. Peeled, seedless fruits and vegetables should be used in the senior’s diet. Ideally, they should be boiled, stewed or roasted. Kohlrabi, broccoli and cauliflower can be eaten in limited quantities. Of dairy products, you can reach for kefir, natural yoghurt, milk up to 2% fat, and sweet cream. As far as bread is concerned, you can reach for light bread, rusks, wheat bread rolls, barley groats, millet groats, semolina, white rice, small pasta and instant oat and millet flakes. Of animal products, hard and soft-boiled eggs, omelette, turkey and skinless chicken, rabbit meat and veal work well. The following can also be eaten in limited quantities: lean fish and cold cuts. If you want to lead a healthy lifestyle and take care of your body, it is also worth remembering to eliminate highly processed products, instant food, fast food, sweets, salty snacks, sweet fizzy drinks and alcohol.
It is not possible to give a definite definition of what an elderly person’s diet should look like, as it all depends on the person’s state of health, individual needs and preferences. At the heart of the matter are the principles of healthy eating, so the recommended foods include whole grain cereals, fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meat and fish, vegetable oils and nuts and seeds.
