Lots of snacking OK for elderly

by Rigel Celeste (Subscribe to Rigel Celeste's posts)
May 26th 2007 5:31PM

Categories: Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements

Mindless eating and random snacking all throughout the day may be a big no-no for most of us, but for the elderly it's actually a good thing. Studies show that because seniors are at an increased risk for weight loss, poor nutrition, and decreased appetite snacking can actually help fill a gap and provide necessary protein and nutrients in their diets. Snackers ate an average of 250 calories more per day than non-snackers, and although that's a bad thing for the younger populations, some older adults need all the calories they can get.

Of course it's still important to make healthy choices and avoid things like cookies and chips, but snack away!

Source

Comments (3)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

treebone 5-26-2007 @ 6:42PM

Now thats a positive for growing old! I'm already a chronic snacker so I'm all set!! Ha!

pbpmom3 5-26-2007 @ 8:08PM

How about getting your daily intake of fruit with just 2oz a day of a fruit juice? Monavie contains 19 fruits including Dr. Perricone's #1 superfood the Acai Berry. There are 30 times the antioxidants in 2 oz than in an 8oz glass of red wine. This juice has changed our lives and the lives of our family and friends. From arthritis, to lowering cholesterol, to lowering blood pressure, it has made a huge impact.

Read our story: www.mymonavie.com/gregandaurorarichard

Lara Belonogoff 6-27-2007 @ 7:37PM

"Seniors snack away!" is a good mantra as long--as you point out--what they are putting into their mouths is generally healthy. So in some way they have the same issues as other populations (i.e., try to eat right, light and often); however, seniors and the aging can have auxiliary issues compounding their nutrition. As you point out, many older adults lose their sense of taste/smell or it becomes less nuanced, which makes food that much less interesting. Secondly, just getting vittles into one's mouth can be made difficult by ill-fitting dentures, poor dentition and periodontal disease.

With these issues it would seem we should be showing up with snacks at very seniors home. However, it is vital to keep in mind that with aging usually comes a decrease in exercise so losing weight isn't always an issue for all individuals. And in fact the opposite can be true. So a concern for some is gaining weight as being overweight puts one at risk for a number of diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, dyslipidemia (high cholesterol or triglycerides), gall bladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea or respiratory problems, and some cancers (endometrial, colon and breast).

For more on senior issues, including nutrition, check out http://www.gilbertguide.com