Don’t Let Malnutrition Rob You of Your Golden Years
As we age, it is important to ensure we get the right nourishment to keep our golden years as healthy as possible. Malnutrition is “a state resulting from lack of intake or uptake of nutrition that leads to altered body composition (decreased fat-free mass) and body cell mass leading to diminished physical and mental function and impaired clinical outcome from disease.”
Malnutrition can be divided into two categories, undernutrition and overnutrition. Undernutrition refers to a person not getting enough of the essential nutrients to support their body. Overnutrition is when you consume too many nutrients or not consuming the right type of nutrients that your body needs to thrive. Not consuming the right diet on a consistent, daily basis can negatively affect your health. “Diet is a major determinant of future health, i.e. the absence or postponement of disorders like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and cognitive disease.”
If you are getting insufficient nutrition, it can lead to a loss of muscle, problems with cognitive function, and disease. If you are afflicted with a disease, it will make it harder for you to recover properly. When you are engaging in a diet that is over-nutritional, it can lead to weight gain and obesity. Obesity can negatively impact your body and put you at risk for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.
Malnutrition can be subdivided into three major types depending on its cause:
caused by inflammatory diseases
caused by diseases without inflammation
not caused by disease
Malnutrition can also be caused by acute diseases, chronic diseases, and neurological impairments that make swallowing or eating difficult, as well as socioeconomic issues. Acute diseases or injuries like a broken hip are those that come on quickly and result in hospitalization can put a patient at risk for malnutrition. Examples of inflammatory diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Chronic diseases can include heart disease, vascular diseases like PAD (peripheral arterial disease), or diabetes, which is also a metabolic disorder.
Malnutrition can be linked to and result in frailty and sarcopenia. Frailty leads to muscle loss and strength; feeling tired; moving very slowly; losing weight; having issues with balance, memory, physical activity, urine, and fecal incontinence; and interfering with activities of daily living like cooking, bathing, and self-care. Being afflicted with frailty can also affect our mental state and lead to depression. The Cleveland Clinic lists these signs and symptoms as frailty:
Losing weight without trying (at least 10 pounds or 4.5 kilograms in the last year)
Weaker hand grip strength compared to others with similar body characteristics and sex
Low energy or endurance, or feeling fatigued or exhausted often
Slow movement or walking speed
Low activity level
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should schedule an appointment with your provider to receive proper medical help.
Sarcopenia is typically seen in those over 60 years of age. As we age, we can experience a decline in important hormones like testosterone and insulin-like growth factors. The decline in these hormones can affect your muscle growth. Not having a proper diet can also result in sarcopenia. According to the Cleveland Clinic, there are 5 signs and symptoms that you may have developed sarcopenia:
Sarcopenia (Muscle Loss): Symptoms & Causes
S – Strength
A – Assistance with walking
R – Rising from a chair
C – Climbing stairs
F – Falls
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to follow up with your doctor to make sure you are not suffering from sarcopenia.
The DoMap (Development of a Model on Determinants of Malnutrition in Aged Persons) pictured below lists all the factors that are regarded as (potential) “determinants” that may contribute to the development of malnutrition in a causative manner:
The positive news is there are actions that you can take to tackle muscle loss and malnutrition. Strength training can be an effective tool to gain muscle mass and help with balance and strength. Depending on your activity or strength level, your doctor may utilize a physical therapist to help achieve your fitness and health goals. Diet is also an especially valuable tool we have to combat malnutrition-related problems like frailty and sarcopenia. Protein is an essential nutrient to consume. Our body needs protein to grow muscle strength. Protein is also vital to recovery from surgical procedures, tissue repair, and our immune system, as well as muscle growth and sustainability.
Stanford University recommends the following protein intake:
For adults aged 50+, we recommend consuming 1.2-1.6 grams of protein/kg of body weight per day (0.54-0.72 grams/pound body weight per day)
For a 165-pound adult, this translates to 90-120 grams of protein per day. To build muscle past the age of 50, we need to eat enough protein AND do weight training and consume 30-35 grams of protein within two hours of the workout
Due to anabolic resistance, which increases as we age, it’s recommended to increase protein intake per meal to roughly 30-35 grams
Protein can be found in poultry, eggs, beef, pork, lobster, shrimp, tuna, salmon, crab, scallops, milk, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, cheese, and yogurt. For people trying to avoid meat and dairy products, you can also source protein from leafy greens vegetables, artichokes, cooked beans, lentils, hummus, quinoa, dry cereals, cooked cereals, corn tortillas, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, almond butter, tofu, pasta, and rice.
It is important to read the nutritional information to see how much protein is in the foods you prepare so that you are getting your daily required intake of protein. It is also a great idea to utilize a nutritionist to help you produce a meal plan. Before starting any new diet, it is imperative to consult your doctor to make sure there are not any contraindications in an increased protein diet due to any medical issues that may make it difficult or dangerous to ingest increased amounts of protein.
Maintaining a nutritional and balanced diet along with strength training, exercise, proper hydration, and sleep is a crucial component to aging gracefully. Maintaining routine checkups and staying on top of any illness or disease is an integral part of self-care.