Eleanor Brownridge, RD, FDC
The nutrition priorities of the elderly (over age 75) go against the grain of mainstream nutrition messages believes Dr. Katherine Gray-Donald, Associate Professor at the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University in Montreal. "These people shouldn't be worrying about fat and cholesterol. Rather than tons of vegetables and fruit and skim milk, they need omelettes, milk shakes and cream soups."
"We've been able to show that for the homebound elderly declining body weight is a predictor of mortality," says Dr. Gray-Donald. "People who lose weight die sooner."
Moreover, a recent 5-year mortality study of 4300 nonsmoking men and women, aged 65 to 100 years, indicated that being overweight later in life does not pose a significant health risk.1 Rather the risks associated with significant weight loss should be the primary concern.
Traditionally physicians have asked patients: "Have you unintentionally lost ten pounds or more in the past year?" But even intentional weight loss in an elderly person suggests nutrition problems. Because of low energy needs, it is very difficult for an elderly person to lose weight by dieting and still maintain adequate nutritional status.
By the time a 10-pound weight loss has occurred it may be too late to reverse muscle deterioration. Dr.
