Nutrition for an elderly person after 80 years. Dietary regimen of elderly people. Principles of proper nutrition for older people

Healthy nutrition for the elderly is aimed at maintaining the active functioning of the body, providing it with useful substances and energy. At the same time, it must take into account the slowing metabolism, as well as the individual needs of a particular person.

Principles of proper nutrition for older people

• Calorie counting and energy balance of food. Both overeating and consuming large amounts of carbohydrates cause serious harm to the body.
• Prevention of vascular atherosclerosis by including fish, cottage cheese, fruits, vegetables and other cholesterol-lowering foods in the diet.
• Maximum variety daily menu to maintain normal functioning of the body and stimulate appetite.
• Sufficient consumption minerals and vitamins. When preparing dishes, it is important to choose recipes that preserve nutritional value products. In addition, older people should consume raw vegetables and fruits, fresh juices, dried fruits.
• Easy digestibility of food. In adulthood, the digestive activity of the stomach decreases. In this regard, you need to avoid foods that can complicate the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Dishes that older people should avoid

1. Homemade and store-bought canned goods.
2. Dishes with high content salt.
3. Baking and confectionery.
4. Fast food and dishes prepared according to similar recipes.
5. Semi-finished meat products and sausages.
6. Carbonated and alcoholic drinks.

From this article you will learn:

Why do eating problems appear in old age?

What are the principles for preparing meals for the elderly?

What foods should older people with constipation not eat?

Is it possible to drink alcohol in old age?

To maintain the vital functions of the body and correct various states elderly organism, it is necessary to provide the body with energy and various nutrients. Proper nutrition plays a key role in this process. It is important to consider that a slowing metabolism, various diseases and lifestyle should be fundamental factors when choosing a healthy diet and menu. Taking these principles into account will allow us to formulate complete diet, which will take into account the individual needs of each person.

Features and principles of rational nutrition for older people

Energy balance of nutrition

It is worth keeping a strict calorie count: both overeating and consuming large quantities are harmful. fatty foods and food, rich in carbohydrates(bread, cereal, sugar). Often, it is overeating that causes the main harm to health.

Prevention of atherosclerosis

Vascular atherosclerosis is one of the main causes of mortality in older people. You need to consume as little animal fat as possible more fish. It contains important fatty acids. Also, cottage cheese and fermented milk products, vegetables, and fruits are indispensable in the diet. All this will help lower cholesterol in the blood and prevent its absorption into the blood through the intestines.

Maximum Diet Variety

To maintain optimal functioning of the body, the daily menu should include a variety of foods: fish, meat, eggs, vegetables and fruits, dairy products, cereals.

Adequate intake of vitamins and minerals

Besides the right choice products, it is important to cook food properly. For example, by improperly preparing vegetables or fruits, you can completely destroy the vitamins they contain. Minerals are supplied to the body by raw fruits, vegetables, freshly washed juices, and dried fruits.

For the nutrition of older people, it is important to avoid canned food and various concentrates. The basis of the diet should be raw vegetables and fruits, and on a year-round basis. A large amount of salt, by the way, has a negative effect on arterial pressure, heart function and retains water in the body. The recommended amount of salt per day is no more than 10g. Moreover, it is important to limit the consumption of obviously salty foods, such as herring, pickled cucumbers, mushrooms, etc.

Foods and dishes should be light and easily digestible

Digestive enzymes work less and less with age and digestive activity noticeably decreases. Mushrooms, legumes and smoked meats can make work very difficult digestive tract. Therefore, you should prefer fish and dairy products to these harmful products instead of animal proteins.

Food should be appetizing

The dishes should look quite appetizing, since the appetite itself in elderly people is quite reduced. Use fresh seasonings: onion, dill, garlic, parsley, etc. They have the excellent property of enhancing taste, and also contain a large number of vitamins and minerals. By the way, few people know, but onions and garlic serve excellently as prevention of atherosclerosis and increase the functioning of the digestive organs

The main problems in older people are slow metabolism, decreased appetite, various side effects from medications, overeating and picky eating. Perhaps not all of them, but most of them are certainly encountered by people as they age. To reduce the consequences similar phenomena, it is important to change your usual diet:

Sources of proteins. Most best protein- not meat, but seafood protein. It is much better absorbed and many times more useful. It is advisable to consume seafood daily by boiling or steaming it. You need to eat meat 2 times a week maximum. Moreover, the soups are meat broth only once a week. You can eat 3 eggs a week. Dairy products are not limited, but it is important to choose low-fat ones.

Sources of fats. If you consume fats, then only vegetable ones. Oil – only unrefined and only in fresh– add to salads, porridges, but do not overuse. Cholesterol metabolism is activated by animal fats, with which it is also important not to overdo it. The fat contained in eggs and dairy products in general will be sufficient. Co butter It is also important not to overdo it - you can consume a maximum of 1 sandwich per day.

Sources of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are extremely important in the diet of an elderly person. They should only be complex ones that release energy slowly. Moreover, to maintain normal operation gastrointestinal tract, it is important to have indigestible substances in food dietary fiber. They will not only help you avoid such unpleasant phenomena, like constipation, but also stimulate the entire digestive system. You can find them in wholemeal bread, cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal), vegetables, and fruits. Everything that grows in the beds should be eaten exclusively raw, use soups, casseroles, etc.

Sources of micro- and macroelements, vitamins. The older we get, the worse nutrients are absorbed. All micro- and microelements help our body, regardless of age, but in old age their help is invaluable. Of course, doctors advise getting all the elements through food, however, all people over 60 should take additional nutritional supplements to stabilize the amount of vitamins and elements in the body.

Restrictions and prohibitions. The main thing is to approach the construction of the menu rationally, then the prohibitions and restrictions will seem insignificant. The main goal of all restrictions is to reduce obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus. “Empty calories” – sugar, baked goods, confectionery – can lead to this. Replace them fresh berries, honey, fruit. Also, it is undesirable to eat bread made from finely ground flour and polished cereals.

Excessive load on the gastrointestinal tract in old age is undesirable. To avoid this, you should not overeat, eat salty, spicy and smoked foods.

A categorical “no” in the diet of older people. All processed foods, sausages, soda and fast food should be strictly excluded from the diet. Alcohol is acceptable, but very in moderation. The most optimal thing is a glass of dry wine. Use table salt better at a minimum - extra salt will only help the development of heart defects. However, it is important to understand that the diet should be varied so as not to put the body into a state of stress.

For complete absorption of food in old age, you need not only the characteristics of the food, but also general state person. To keep the body in good shape, it is also important to introduce physical activity. This will help stabilize digestion. In addition, it is necessary to maintain optimal psychological condition. Eating should not be accompanied by reading or watching TV; it is much better to communicate with loved ones while eating, for example.

An example of a menu for the elderly for a week

Monday

Breakfast: tea (green), sandwich with cheese and butter.

Second breakfast: milk porridge (milk), grated apples with boiled grated carrots, with lemon dressing.

Lunch: green salad, pea soup, fish cutlets with mashed potatoes and rosehip compote.

Afternoon snack: fermented milk products.

Dinner: baked apple, veal cutlets with boiled vegetables (small portions).

Breakfast: chicory with milk, cottage cheese with the addition of low-fat sour cream.

Lunch: oatmeal with milk, cottage cheese pancakes, green tea.

Lunch: cauliflower soup, stewed beef and peas, cranberry compote.

Afternoon snack: one apple or any fruit.

Dinner: eggplant baked in cheese, mashed potatoes, berry jelly.

Breakfast: tea with baked goods.

Second breakfast: fruit and porridge.

Lunch: salad of poached sweet peppers, onion soup, chicken meatballs with rice, prune compote.

Afternoon snack: rosehip compote, cottage cheese cream.

Dinner: rice porridge, lemon tea.

Breakfast: warm milk with bagels.

Second breakfast: milk porridge, buttered sandwich, barley coffee.

Lunch: noodle soup with meatballs.

Afternoon snack: dried fruits.

Dinner: zucchini pancakes, fermented milk drink.

Breakfast: cocoa with milk, chicken or rabbit pate.

Second breakfast: oatmeal porridge with water, boiled egg (without yolk), tea with lemon.

Lunch: tomato rice soup, steamed fish steak with boiled vegetables, rosehip compote.

Afternoon snack: grapes, cheese.

Dinner: tomatoes stuffed with rice and mashed potatoes, dried fruit compote.

Breakfast: tea with milk, bun with cottage cheese.

Second breakfast: milk porridge with cinnamon, a sandwich with butter, cocoa with milk.

Lunch: lentil soup with croutons, fish with mushrooms, steamed, boiled potatoes, cranberry jelly.

Afternoon snack: fruit.

Dinner: fish soup (lean), salad (like a vinaigrette), tea.

Sunday

Breakfast: endive with milk, sandwich with ham.

Second breakfast: beaten eggs, sandwich with cheese and butter, cocoa with milk.

Dinner: vegetable soup, boiled chicken with pasta, fresh.

Afternoon snack: kefir, Rye bread with jam.

Dinner: pie with cottage cheese, apricot compote.

This is one of the diet options for older people. Of course, it is important to select it taking into account the person’s diseases and preferences. But in the proposed option there are definitely no foods that weaken digestion or anything that can harm a weak body.

What kind of food should you eat for constipation in older people?

One of the most unpleasant consequences changes in body functions with age – constipation. At the same time, nutrition to treat this disease is the key to a quick recovery.

Be sure to exclude the following foods from your diet:

any dough - puff pastry or butter, bread made from premium flour;

any meat and fatty poultry (goose or duck);

smoked meats and canned food;

eggs (hard-boiled and scrambled)

radishes, garlic, onions, turnips, radishes;

• blueberries, dogwood, quince;

  any confectionery products;

  hot sauces, mustard.

Also, for constipation, the following are prohibited:

• black coffee;

  strong tea;

  any jelly;

  any alcohol.

In addition, exclude rice and semolina.

What can you eat if you are constipated?

rye bread and bread baked from wholemeal flour, as well as dry cookies and savory pastries;

vegetable soups cooked in meat broth, as well as borscht, beetroot soup and cabbage soup made from fresh cabbage;

semi-viscous and crumbly porridges, especially buckwheat;

lean poultry and meat;

boiled and baked fish;

seafood;

greens and sour sauerkraut.

Special recommendations for the use of beets, melons, prunes, plums, figs and apricots. Also shown are salads from raw vegetables(for example, vinaigrette). Dressing made exclusively from vegetable or olive oil. Vegetable caviar and fruit salads will also come in handy.

It is best to drink dairy products for constipation: fermented baked milk, yogurt and yoghurts (if dairy products are well tolerated), rosehip compote and rye bran, vegetable and fruit juices.

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Old age is natural phenomenon, it is hereditarily programmed.

However, this process can be slowed down; proper and rational nutrition will help maintain the vital functions of the body.

During compilation healthy menu features need to be taken into account age-related changes, various diseases, lifestyle.

Proper nutrition for older people will help avoid food poisoning, frequent stress, make the body more resistant to surrounding negative factors.

Features of the functioning of the human body after 60 years

As a person ages, atrophic and degenerative processes begin to develop. With age, the functionality of all organs and systems weakens and slows down. biological processes.

Doctors highlight the following characteristic changes the body of people over 60 years of age:

• The balance between anabolic (tissue structure) and catabolic (destruction) processes is disrupted. Then the body cannot normalize blood pressure, sugar level after eating, will fully recover after illness, etc.
• The number of body cells decreases and their activity decreases. This is manifested by disruption of the kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, and central nervous system. As a result, it decreases muscle mass, the amount of blood proteins, the fat layer increases.
• The functionality of the stomach is impaired, intestinal motility decreases, and frequent constipation occurs.
• The condition of the teeth deteriorates, due to which a person cannot chew food thoroughly, dry mouth occurs, and appetite decreases.
• The sense of smell and the ability to distinguish taste decreases. Then the person loses appetite or consumes a lot of sweets.
• The functionality of the kidneys is impaired, the volume of urine increases, dehydration occurs, and the balance of electrolytes is disrupted.
• Functions deteriorate immune system, the risk of infections and cancer increases.

In addition, older people often suffer from heart and vascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis (increased bone fragility), etc.

General principles of proper diet for an old person

To avoid chronic ailments typical of older people, to support the body and improve its functionality, you need to adjust your diet. To do this, you must comply the following principles power supply:

• Control calories. The number of calories that enter the body with food should be equal to the actual energy consumption.
• Follow an anti-sclerosis diet. The diet needs to be replenished with products with anti-sclerotic effects.
• Create a balanced, varied menu. A person should eat food rich in all essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
• Include in diet easily digestible foods. A person should consume foods that are easily digested, moderately activate secretory, motor function gastrointestinal organs.
• Strictly follow the meal schedule. It is important to create a meal schedule by the hour, evenly distributing it.

When preparing a diet, an elderly person must take into account the state of certain organs and systems, metabolic characteristics, and eating habits.

Mode

People over 60 years of age should eat regularly, avoid long gaps between meals, and not overeat. This way, foods will be digested normally, and all organs involved in the absorption of nutrients will not be subject to excessive stress.

With age-related changes in the body, the functionality of the digestive system decreases, therefore generous receptions food disrupts their work.

Important! After 60 years, men and women should switch to four meals a day. Lunch and breakfast should be the most satisfying, and for dinner it is better to eat light foods (low-fat fermented milk drinks, fresh vegetables or fruit).

Doctors recommend periodically fasting days. Then a person should consume only cottage cheese, kefir, and plant products throughout the day.

People of the “third” age are prohibited from starving completely.

If you have chronic diseases, you should switch to 5 meals a day. This is necessary to unload digestive organs, speed up metabolism, improve general condition.

Serving Size

A person over 60 years of age should eat in moderation. He should eat food 4 times a day, but in small portions.

If it is easier for a person to focus on food portions, then every day he should consume:

• Bread, cereals – 5 to 6 servings. 1 serving is 1 slice of bread, 30 g of cereal, ½ cup of porridge.
• Vegetables – from 2 to 2.5 servings. A person can consume 1 cup of vegetables or ½ cup of chopped vegetables (raw or cooked) per meal.
• Fruits – from 1.5 to 2 servings. You can eat 1 at a time medium piece favorite fruit, ½ cup chopped (fresh, cooked or canned), the same amount of dried fruit, freshly squeezed juice.
• Milk and products made from it. A single serving consists of 220 ml of milk, yogurt (low fat), 45 g of hard cheese.
• Lean meat, fish, beans, eggs, nuts - from 1.5 to 2 servings. For 1 meal, a person can eat about 90 g of meat or fish (per day - about 200 g), 1 cup of beans, 2 eggs, 100 g of peanut butter, 25 g of nuts.

When eating small portions, food is broken down faster and nutrients are absorbed.

Healthy foods

People of the “third” age suffer from slow metabolism, decreased appetite, various negative reactions after taking medications or overeating. To reduce negative effects, you need to include the right foods in your diet:

• Proteins can be obtained from seafood, which are better digestible. Lean meat and eggs can be consumed 1 – 2 times a week. Low-fat fermented milk products are suitable for daily consumption.
• Sources of fats are unrefined vegetable oils. They can be used for dressing salads and porridges.
• Complex carbohydrates, as well as fiber, can be obtained from whole grain bread, cereals, and plant products.

Important! People over 60 years of age need to saturate their body with vitamins and minerals. Those useful substances, which they get from food is not enough, so it is recommended to take vitamin and mineral complexes.

What to refuse and what food to limit

To avoid common problems such as obesity, heart and vascular diseases, diabetes, you need to limit the amount of sugar, baked goods, and sweets. Replace harmful products You can use xylitol (a sweetener), berries, fruits, honey.

To avoid unnecessary stress on the digestive system, avoid spicy, smoked, and salty foods.

It is strictly forbidden for older people to indulge themselves in fast food, processed foods, carbonated drinks, sausages, fatty meats, and milk. A person in the “third” age can afford 150 g of dry wine.

Energy balance

To avoid obesity and related problems, old man must control daily caloric intake. Approximate energy value menu for people over 60 years old – from 2300 to 2100 kcal, and over 80 years old – from 2000 to 1900 kcal. At physical activity the number of calories can be increased slightly.

In old age, the need for protein decreases; people over 60 years old need 65–70 g, and over 80 years old – from 57 to 60 g. Older people should consume from 65 to 70 g of fat (dairy products, vegetable oils). Carbohydrate content ranges from 275 to 340 g, of which 10–15% are simple carbohydrates.

Menu specifics for men and women

Women over 60 years of age are advised to supplement their diet with healthy plant products, low-fat dairy products, cereals, herbs, as well as products containing protein, calcium, and iron. Read more in the article at the link.

Daily menu for women over 60:

• Breakfast - cottage cheese, dry fruits, nuts, green tea or freshly squeezed juice.
• Lunch – fresh, steamed or baked fruit.
• Lunch – soup or buckwheat with meat, vegetables, cookies, tea.
• Dinner – porridge with water, baked (without oil) fish, vegetable salad.

Important! Supplement your diet with seasonal vegetables and fruits native to your region.

A man's daily diet contains more calories:

• Steamed or oven-baked fish, sliced ​​vegetables, unsweetened tea.
• Fruit salad.
• Low-fat borscht with meat, a little sour cream, a slice of bread, baked apples with honey, tea.
• Cottage cheese casserole, kefir.

Menu options for men are different, the main thing is that he eats 1 kg of vegetables and fruits, 200 g of fish and meat.

Healthy food for those over 80

After 80 years of age, a person develops a predisposition to overweight. To avoid this, you need to eat 5 times a day in small portions.

To support the functioning of the body, you need to follow these nutritional rules:

• Eat lean fish, meat, and fats before 12 noon.
• Dine on fermented milk products, avoid salt and extractives
• Boil, stew, steam the products.
• Avoid sweets, sugar, and animal fats.
• The menu of an old person after 80 years should include side dishes and vegetable dishes(salads with butter, cabbage, tomatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, greens). Limit the amount of legumes and spinach.
• Drink green tea, weak coffee, freshly squeezed juices, water.

It is also important to remember that the menu should be varied, so look for new recipes.

Useful supplements: vitamins, microelements

A lack of nutrients threatens to disrupt the functioning of many organs and systems.

Their deficiency is manifested by rapid fatigue, digestive disorders, deterioration of hair, skin, nails, frequent infections, complications of chronic diseases.

To avoid health problems, a person must know what beneficial substances he needs: retinol, group B elements, ascorbic acid, nicotinic acid, calciferols, tocopherol, vitamin K.

Important! Before you buy food supplement Consult your doctor to determine what substances your body needs.

The most popular drugs for people over 60 years old include Hexavit, Undevit, Centuri.

Famous nutritionists in Moscow know everything about healthy eating for people of the third age. They can tell you how to safely and quickly lose weight and stay in shape after 60 years.

Experts will tell you how to create a balanced and varied diet that will improve the condition of the body and slow down old age.

Natalya Sarkisyan, nutritionist

A famous doctor advises how to:

• Reduce your caloric intake and consume more nutrients.
• If excess fat appears, consult a doctor who will create a safe weight loss program.
• Even if you have normal weight, eat healthy food.
• Follow a meal schedule and don’t skip a meal even if you don’t feel hungry.
• Drink water regularly throughout the day, even if you are not thirsty.
• Eat 4 times a day, eat only fresh food.

Anna Melekhina, nutritionist

According to a leading nutritionist, after 60 years it is possible to normalize weight; for this you need to create a daily routine and adjust the menu.

• The basis proper diet people over 60 years old should eat plant foods.
• During your snack, eat greens, nuts, dry, fresh fruits, vegetables.
• Drink green Herb tea, juices, and coffee can be replaced with a chicory-based drink.
• In the evening, eat fermented milk products and gluten-free cereals.
• Eat breakfast and lunch with meat, fish or a small amount of beans.
• Consume vegetable fats.
• Drink at least 1.5 liters of clean water.

Very important for people over 60 years of age physical activity: walking with a pedometer or morning exercises.

Lidia Ionova, nutritionist

The specialist advises older people to switch to proper nutrition, which has a positive effect on the functioning of the whole body.

The menu should contain the following products:

• Fruits and vegetables - 50% of the total daily menu.
• Cereal products (unrefined, whole grain) – 25%.
• Protein foods (nuts, beans, dietary fish, meat, dairy products) – 25%.

You can replenish the amount of fluid in the body with water, milk, tea, and soups. Vegetable oils have a beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels, the main thing is to consume them in small quantities. It is recommended to replace salt with herbs and spices.

Race walking, cycling, and swimming will only enhance the effectiveness of the diet and improve your general condition.

Useful video

Watch a video about proper nutrition in adulthood:

Main conclusions

After 60 years, all biological processes in the body slow down.

To delay the onset of old age, as well as improve the condition of the body, you need to switch to proper nutrition. Basic principles rational drafting menus should be adjusted to suit age needs.

The calorie content of the diet with proper nutrition in old age ranges from 1900 to 2300 kcal.

The basis of the diet is vegetables and fruits, the amount of proteins should be reduced. In addition, you should supplement your menu with foods rich in complex carbohydrates, fiber, and vegetable fats.

People of the “third age” must observe drinking regime and eat 4-5 times a day.

Besides the organization proper nutrition, after 60 years you need to take vitamin and mineral complexes that will help avoid vitamin deficiency and improve the general condition of the body.

Similar materials

According to age classification, the population over 60 years of age is divided into two age groups: the first is 60-74 years old, the second is over 74 years old.

The aging process is a slow accumulation of age-related changes that manifest themselves at all levels of the body. The changes and causes that shape aging include: a decrease in daily energy expenditure, a decrease in redox processes, the prevalence of dissimilation processes over assimilation processes, the presence of degenerative atrophic processes in the body, as well as weakening of the functions of the digestive system - decreased acidity gastric juice, disorders of the pancreas and liver.

Changes in gastrointestinal tract influence the digestion and absorption of nutrients. A decrease in the acidity of gastric juice can cause the development of vitamin B12 deficiency - anemia. Older adults experience decreased absorption of calcium and vitamin D, leading to thinning and decreased density bone tissue- osteoiorosis disease.

In old age, the elasticity of the walls decreases blood vessels, which leads to the development of hypertension.

When organizing nutrition for older people, it is necessary to take into account all the changes occurring in the body.

Since there is a need to somewhat limit the amount of food, especially at one time, problems arise with providing the diet with biologically active nutrients.

The diet of older people must include nutrients with anti-sclerotic and lipotropic properties.

It is necessary to include foods rich in fiber in your diet in order to remove excess cholesterol and stimulate intestinal motility.

Of great importance in the nutrition of people in this category is the enrichment of the diet with fermented milk products, the most important part which is lactic acid, which has biological activity. Lactic acid also inhibits the development of putrefactive and some pathogenic bacteria. By using fermented milk products it is possible to limit the formation in the intestines of putrefactive microbes of harmful substances involved in the development of atherosclerosis.

Nutrient requirements

. For elderly people in accordance with physiological norms food needs (1991) the amount of protein for men under 75 years old is 68 g, over 75 years old - 61 g per day. For women - 61 and 55 g, respectively. In terms of 1 kg of body weight, the protein requirement is 1-1.3 g. It is unacceptable to include an excess amount of protein, which leads to the development of atherosclerosis and strain on the liver and kidneys.

. Low-fat dairy and fish products, as well as seafood.

The fat requirements of older people correspond to 77 and 65 g for men and 66 and 57 g for women. Fat percentage plant origin must be at least 30% to provide the body with polyunsaturated fatty acids. Inclusion of oleic and linolenic acids in the diet fatty acids(olive oil, seafood, flaxseed and hemp oils) reduces blood viscosity, prevents blood clots, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Foods high in fat should be excluded from the diet.

. Carbohydrates, as the main source of energy, should make up 50-55% of the total calorie intake. Daily requirement in carbohydrates is 335 and 280 g for men and 284 and 242 g for women. Share simple sugars in elderly people should not exceed 10-15% of total number carbohydrates, since their excess leads to increased cholesterol synthesis in the liver, increased blood sugar and risk oncological diseases. For people in this category, it is recommended to include in the diet a sufficient amount of fiber and other complex carbohydrates. A sufficient amount of dietary fiber in the diet helps stimulate intestinal motility, the formation beneficial microflora intestines, prevention of cancer.

. In the nutrition of older people, vitamins are given special importance, especially those that have antisclerotic, hypotensive (lower blood pressure), lipotropic and antioxidant effects.

Among these vitamins one can highlight vitamins B6, PP, folic acid, vitamin E, β-carotene. In old age, it is necessary to constantly maintain the physiological level of vitamin C in the body, as it increases redox processes, normalizes metabolism, slowing down the aging process, has a lipotropic effect, helps the absorption of iron.

In old age, cases of polyhypovitaminosis (deficiency of several vitamins) are often observed.

To compensate for vitamin deficiency, it is necessary to provide the body balanced diet, in some cases it is recommended to use vitamin complexes.

Minerals. With age, a large amount of minerals, especially Ca salts, accumulate in the human body. They are deposited in the walls of blood vessels and joints, disrupting their motor ability. Along with this, the concentration of minerals in some tissues decreases. Often in older people there is a slight release of calcium from the bones.

If there is insufficient intake of calcium from food, if its absorption is impaired, a decrease in the density and mass of bone tissue occurs, which leads to osteoporosis. The calcium requirement for elderly people is 1000 mg per day.

In old age, especially in women, iron deficiency is noted. In old age, dehydration is possible due to lack of fluid or sodium intake.

Diet. Due to the decrease in the functions of the digestive tract, it is necessary to adhere to 4-5 meals a day, write strictly certain time, avoid long breaks between meals.

Physiological norms of needs for basic nutrients and energy for the elderly and old age are presented in table. 1.

Table 1. Norms of physiological needs for nutrients and energy for elderly and senile people

It is no secret that today the number of elderly people who have already reached the age of 60 is steadily growing. For our body to function normally, about 600 nutrients are required from food. Some of them, a very small part, can be produced in the body. However, if the physiological processes in the body are disrupted, the person will lack these substances.

Most people don't eat right. A European study showed that healthy older people often experience serious dietary errors that lead to protein-calorie malnutrition. In older people with concomitant diseases these problems are presented several times more acutely.

To increase life expectancy and prevent diseases, it is necessary rational nutrition seems obvious.

Metabolic processes in the elderly

The intensity of metabolic processes in the body decreases sharply with aging:

Nutritional features of older people

Normal physiological processes can be adequately supported only by correct balanced and good nutrition, and this nutrition should correspond as much as possible age characteristics body. In medicine, there is even the science of gerodietetics, which provides correct approaches to a process like nutrition for the elderly.

During the aging process, many body systems undergo significant and sometimes irreversible changes. Digestive system is no exception. Her functional abilities fade over time.

Excess weight and hypokinesia have a negative impact on general processes aging. For example, the body’s energy needs decrease by 15-25% by the age of 70.

The sensitivity of the elderly body increases to increased nutrition leading to accumulation overweight body, to atherosclerotic changes, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, which ultimately wears out the body and leads it to aging ahead of time. These problems are studied in geriatrics and solving them seems to be a very difficult task.

Sometimes the main metabolic disorder is an imbalance of lipid metabolism, which leads to sharp increase cholesterol levels, which in turn contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is not only a disease of lipid metabolism. When it occurs, other Clinical signs, Related metabolic syndrome, impaired conversion of vitamins and proteins, functional dysfunction.

If there is a lack of protein in an elderly body due to insufficient intake or absorption, maladaptive states of enzymatic systems develop, which leads to disruption of redox processes. The same reactions can occur with a lack of vitamins. In these cases, the body fades ahead of time.

Nutrition for an elderly person: basic principles

A.A. Pokrovsky formulated the basic principles of nutrition that contribute to normal functioning elderly body:

1. Nutrition should be balanced in all basic nutrients depending on the body's energy needs. That is, you need to take as much food as you need, but no more;
2. The diet should be balanced in composition in an anti-atherosclerotic direction;
3. Diet variety;
4. The diet should contain substances that stimulate the activity of enzyme systems;
5. Dishes should be easily digestible.

It is necessary to note such a fact as the presence of excess appetite. This condition must be controlled by the person himself, since overeating leads to obesity, and obesity to many metabolic problems. This energy imbalance is common in older people.

In accordance with the principles of nutrition, a stable balance must be established between energy consumption and energy expenditure.

As you age, your body does not require the same amount of calories as it did when you were older. at a young age, therefore, it is advisable to reduce the total calorie content of dishes in accordance with WHO recommendations - calorie content from 30 to 70 years should be reduced by 30%.

In order to determine the required caloric intake of the diet nutrition for the elderly measurement needed ideal mass body, which is detected through body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated using the formula: BMI=Body weight in kg/body length squared in meters. Normal BMI is 27-31 kg/m2. The lowest mortality rate is observed in women at 31.7 kg/m2, and in men at 28.8 kg/m2.

One of the factors that reduces life expectancy is abdominal (visceral) obesity, which appears in many older people. This type of obesity is most often obese central genesis and leads to dyslipidemia. Dyslipidemias are precursors to the development of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension. There is also a lower type of obesity, however, with the same BMI, the risk of complications is higher with abdominal obesity.

The degree of visceral obesity can be calculated using the formula waist size/hip size. For women, this parameter is normally 0.84, and for men – 0.95. There is a direct relationship between the visceral obesity index and mortality. Thus, anthropometric data provide good information for determining the presence of fat and its impact on the state of functioning of the body. However, the exact amount of abdominal fat can only be measured by computed tomography or when nuclear magnetic resonance. But a cheaper method is densitometry. It can be used to calculate the amount of total body fat, but it cannot calculate visceral fat separately.

Patients with excess body weight also suffer from impaired glucose tolerance, which then results in diabetes mellitus. In this case nutrition for the elderly must be corrected immediately so as not to lead to the development of pathology.

Lack of vitamins

The problem of insufficient intake of vitamins into the body of an elderly person is relevant all over the world. Energy consumption is reduced, the amount of food consumed is reduced and, thus, the supply of vitamins to the body of an elderly person is reduced. Vitamins can slow down the aging process if they are in sufficient quantities. Almost everything metabolic processes come with the inclusion of vitamins. In old age, those vitamins that have a beneficial effect on the nervous and cardiovascular system. These are B vitamins, vitamin C, nicotinic acid and others.