Nutrition In Older Adults Research Articles

Investigation of the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding nutrition in older adults with tuberculosis and diabetes: a cross-sectional study in Eastern China

ObjectivesOlder adults with tuberculosis and diabetes have special needs regarding dietary nutrition. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding dietary nutrition among older adults with...

Nutrition for Older Adults With Osteoarthritis: Empowering People in Sub-Saharan Africa With Information for Self-Management in Line With Core Guideline Recommendations

Nutrition for Older Adults With Osteoarthritis: Empowering People in Sub-Saharan Africa With Information for Self-Management in Line With Core Guideline Recommendations

Quality of nutritional uptake of community-dwelling, care-dependent older adults in Zurich

Objective: This study evaluated the quality of nutritional uptake of the care-dependent, community-dwelling older adults.Methods: Community-dwelling care-dependent elders were recruited in this study. The food items along with their nutritional content were extracted from the participants’ refrigerators and categorized according to the NOVA classification (G1: unprocessed/minimally processed; G2: processed culinary ingredients; G3: processed; G4: ultra-processed). The nutritional information of the food items was entered into a dietary analysis software that analyzed the content. Data was verified for a normal distribution and non-parametric tests were applied for statistical analysis (p < 0.05).Results: 100 subjects (mean age = 81.1±9.5 y; mean MMSE: 26.6±6.8) participated in this study. The participants had significantly more G1 than G2, G3 or G4 (p < 0.001) foods. Women had more G1 items in their refrigerators than men (rs = 0.372, p < 0.001). Higher socio-economic status indicated a presence of more G1 (rs = 0.313, p = 0.002), G2 (rs = 0.342, p < 0.001) and G4 (rs = 0.237, p = 0.024) foods.Higher cognitive scores revealed an increase in presence of G4 (rs = 0.238, p = 0.023) items. Participants with an increased need for assistance had less G2 (rs = -0.332, p = 0.001), and G4 (rs = -0.215, p = 0.041) foods; age had no influence.Conclusion: The findings of this study confirm that the majority of care-dependent, community-dwelling adults procured healthy dietary aliments for their daily living; however, whether this correlated to the actual nutritional state of these older adults needs to be further investigated. This highlights the need for further investigation and tailored interventions to ensure good nutrition, emphasizing regular assessments and comprehensive support beyond just food access.Clinical relevance: Clinicians must recognize that access to healthy food alone may not ensure good nutrition in older adults. Regular nutritional assessments, personalized dietary interventions, and additional support services like meal preparation assistance, nutritional counseling, and tailored programs are essential to address specific dietary needs and preferences.

Nutritional Care for Adults in Nursing Homes: A Scoping Review.

The need for improved nutrition in older adults requiring care has been acknowledged, but, to the best of our knowledge, there is a lack of systematic review and integration of nutritional care studies with older adults in nursing homes. This scoping review aimed to examine the scope and nature of nutritional care research for older adults in nursing homes and to identify research gaps, following the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute. We found varied nutritional care for older adults living in nursing homes, including individualized sessions, such as nutrition counseling, the addition of foods and preparations for increased nutritional intake, and the maintenance of an eating environment, such as feeding assistance and calling. The nutritional care identified in this scoping review also included studies that have improved the nutritional status of older adults in nursing homes by implementing educational programs for care staff. For future research on effective nutritional care for older adults in nursing homes, we suggest evaluating both short- and long-term intervention effects with an adequate sample size.

Scientific Mapping of Elderly Food Studies: A Bibliometric Approach

As the global population ages, there is a growing emphasis on addressing the dietary needs and overall well-being of older individuals. Bibliometric analysis of existing literature on food innovation for the elderly helps identify research trends and gaps, guiding future exploration to better meet the nutritional needs and preferences of this population. The aim of this research is to examine the literature on food and nutrition for older adults through bibliometric analysis. Data was gathered on April 19th, 2024, from the Scopus database by using the search term "elder* AND food". Articles were restricted to specific subject areas and then analyzed using VOSviewer and descriptive statistics. A total of 746 articles published between 1951 and 2024 were discovered, with a notable rise in publications in the past decade. The United States ranked first in the number of published articles, followed by South Korea and Brazil. Keywords were grouped into 11 clusters, encompassing themes such as diet quality, food security, nutritional status, and elderly care. The analysis underscored the global importance of research on elderly nutrition, underscoring the necessity for international cooperation. Recent developments revealed a concentration on food-based dietary guidelines and the management of food bolus for older individuals. The study also addressed limitations, such as potential biases arising from relying on Scopus and excluding non-English publications.

Digital Intervention (Keep-On-Keep-Up Nutrition) to Improve Nutrition in Older Adults: Protocol for a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

Digital health tools can support behavior change and allow interventions to be scalable at a minimal cost. Keep-on-Keep-up Nutrition (KOKU-Nut) is a free, tablet-based app that focuses on increasing physical activity and improving the dietary intake of older adults based on UK guidelines. The intervention targets an important research area identified as a research priority reported by the James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership for malnutrition. This study aims to assess the feasibility of using the digital health tool KOKU-Nut among community-dwelling older adults to inform a future randomized controlled trial. The secondary aims are to determine the acceptability, usability, preliminary effect sizes, and safety of the study and the intervention (KOKU-Nut). This is a feasibility randomized controlled trial. We plan to recruit a total of 36 community-dwelling older adults using purposive sampling. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to either the intervention or the control group. The intervention group will be asked to engage with KOKU-Nut 3 times a week for 12 weeks. Participants in the control group will receive a leaflet promoting a healthy lifestyle. All study participants will complete questionnaires at baseline and the end of the 12 weeks. A sample of participants will be asked to participate in an optional interview. The study will collect a range of data including anthropometry (height and weight), dietary intake (3-day food diary), physical function (grip strength and 5-times sit-to-stand), perceived quality of life (EQ-5D), usability (System Usability Scale), and safety (adverse events). Data collection commenced in March 2024, and the results will be ready for publication by January 2025. Feasibility will be determined on the basis of participants' self-reported engagement with the intervention, and recruitment and retention rates and will be summarized descriptively. We will also consider the amount of missing data and assess how outcomes are related to group assignment. Acceptability will be measured using the modified treatment evaluation inventory and one-to-one semistructured interviews. Transcripts from the interviews will be analyzed using NVivo (version 12; QSR International) software using framework analysis to understand any barriers to the recruitment process, the suitability of the assessment measures, and the acceptability of the intervention and study design. The study aligns with guidelines developed by the Medical Research Council for developing a complex intervention by using qualitative and quantitative research to examine the barriers of the intervention and identify potential challenges around recruitment and retention. We anticipate that these results will inform the development of a future powered randomized controlled design trial to test the true effectiveness of KOKU-Nut. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05943366; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05943366. PRR1-10.2196/50922.

Feeding and Nutrition for People with Dementia in Gerontological Services: A Focus Group Study.

This work sought to describe the experience of managers and caregivers with feeding and nutrition for older adults with dementia, in Colombian gerontological services. This is a qualitative focus group study with fourteen gerontological care centers for people with dementia. The study reveals that care related to food and nutrition for people with dementia is organized based on the comprehensive assessment of the resident. Although there are basic support strategies, each caregiver requires specific knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and institutional support, to generate a context that favors the health and quality of life of those involved. The experience of caring for people with dementia in aspects related to their food and nutrition, seen from the perspective of managers and caregivers of gerontological services in a developing country, strengthens specific strategies and public policies. This, in turn, reduces the burden on caregivers.

SIOG2023-5-P-348 - Impact of dietetic intervention on nutrition of older adults on systemic treatment for cancer:

SIOG2023-5-P-348 - Impact of dietetic intervention on nutrition of older adults on systemic treatment for cancer:

Assessing the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nutrition in Older Adults in Japan: Insights from a Mini-Nutrition Assessment Short Form Survey

Introduction: The coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic has changed the daily lives of older adults in Japan, requiring them to wear masks and limit their movements. As lifestyle changes affect people's health, it is likely that some changes have occurred in their nutrition, which is the foundation of health. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the nutrition of older adults living at home during the pandemic period and identify the impact of the pandemic. Material and methods: The nutrition of older adults living at home was surveyed using the Mini-Nutrition Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF®). The target population was older adults living at home who were independent or in need of care. Surveys were conducted before and during the pandemic. Associations between the two survey periods and the MNA-SF® (nutrition assessment, sub-item) were analysed using χ-square or Fisher's test. The analysis was conducted separately for independent older adults and older adults in need of care. Results: Regarding nutrition assessment, our survey results indicated that 39.5% of older adults were considered "well-nourished," 46% were "at risk for malnutrition," and 14.5% were "malnourished" during the pandemic period. The analysis showed no significant differences in nutrition assessment by survey period for all participants. However, differences were observed in the sub-items before and during the pandemic. Significant differences were observed in neuropsychological problems and body mass index among independent older adults, and in neuropsychological problems, mobility, and reduced food intake among older adults in need of care. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the pandemic has changed the risk factors for undernutrition among older adults living at home, and that these changed factors may differ in part depending on whether they need care.

Challenges and Management Strategies in the Nutrition of Older People with Diabetes

AbstractDiabetes has increased in prevalence and is the most common chronic metabolic disease worldwide. Its incidence and prevalence have particularly increased among older adults over the last few decades. The older adult population older than 60 years is diagnosed chiefly with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and type 1 diabetes in a small percentage; there is also an incidence of a transient form of diabetes secondary to chronic underlying diseases or as a part of their treatment-related complications. The primary goal in managing older adults with diabetes is to maintain glycemic status against the risk of hypoglycemia and its complications. In the older adult population, the problem of polypharmacy and nutrition must be kept in mind while achieving glycemic targets and preventing diabetes complications. Few studies have highlighted the importance of nutrition in older adults with diabetes and hypoglycemia as a complication leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Many factors in the older aged groups interplay in diabetes patients. Increasing the risk of hypoglycemia and managing nutritional aspects is paramount in older adults with diabetes mellitus. This review highlights various aspects of nutritional management in older adults with diabetes based on the current evidence available in the literature. However, most dietary recommendations for older adults with diabetes are based on studies in the adult population, and further studies targeting the older adult population are needed.

The Food4Years Ageing Network: Improving foods and diets as a strategy for supporting quality of life, independence and healthspan in older adults.

By 2050, it is predicted that one in four people in the United Kingdom will be aged 65 years and over. Increases in lifespan are not always translated into years spent in good health. Incidence rates for chronic diseases are increasing, with treatments allowing people to live longer with their disease. There is good evidence to support changes to lifestyle to maintain or improve body composition, cognitive health, musculoskeletal health, immune function and vascular health in older adults. Much research has been done in this area, which has produced significant support for foods and nutrients that contribute to improved healthspan. Yet two major barriers remain: firstly, older adult consumers are not meeting current UK recommendations for macro- and micronutrients that could benefit health and quality of life and secondly, the UK-specific recommendations may not be sufficient to support the ageing population, particularly for nutrients with key physiological roles. More work is needed to improve intakes of specific foods, diets and nutrients by older adults, through a variety of mechanisms including (i) development of specific food products; (ii) improved clarity of information and (iii) appropriate marketing, and policy changes to enable incentives. The Food4Years Ageing Network aims to build a wide-reaching and multidisciplinary community that is committed to the development, integration and communication of healthy, affordable foods and specific diets for all older adults across the UK food landscape. The Network will identify evidence-based strategies for improving food intake and nutrition in older adults, paving the way to "living well while living longer."

Optimal Nutrition in the Older Adult: Beneficial Versus Ineffective Supplements.

Proper nutrition in older adults is essential, as nutritional deficiencies are common in this population. This review aims to summarize the benefits and risks of nutritional supplementation in the older adult population including the efficacy of various supplements, their risks, and common drug interactions with frequently prescribed medications. In recent years, a growing percentage of older adults have been found to take multiple daily nutritional supplements. This population has complex nutritional needs due to the physiology of aging and the presence of comorbidities. However, many primary care providers are unaware of the benefits and drawbacks of nutritional supplementation in the elderly. This review summarizes the current literature to provide more clarity to providers on how to support this population's nutritional needs. Nutritional supplementation is essential for elderly populations who may not be able to obtain adequate nutrition from dietary sources. Supplements vary widely in efficacy and safety. As such, supplementation should be individualized and guided by a qualified healthcare provider to ensure patients receive effective, beneficial nutrition.

Nutrition for Older Adults.

The world population is aging rapidly. Japan has the oldest population in the world, with 28% of the current population aged 65 y or older. Maintaining good nutrition is important for preventing age-related deterioration in health. Physical activity levels, energy intake, and weight tend to decrease with age. Decreased food intake increases the risk of undernutrition due to the inadequate intake of essential nutrients. The proportion of the older population that is malnourished ranges from 1% to 5% among independent older adults living in the community, and increases to 30% to 50% among residents of care institutions. Among older adults, the risk of death increases with increasing leanness. In Japan, the government pays considerable attention to the prevention of adverse health effects related to obesity among young and middle-aged adults, although the adverse health effects related to undernutrition and being underweight among older adults have been overlooked. In addition to providing nutrients, eating has important psychological and social benefits. Therefore, there is a need to pay attention to the diet and nutritional needs of older adults in Japan in order to promote and maintain their physical and mental health.

Leveraging Observational Cohorts to Study Diet and Nutrition in Older Adults: Opportunities and Obstacles

By 2060, the number of adults aged ≥65 y is expected to double, and the ≥85 y segment of the population is expected to triple in the United States. US federal nutrition guidance is based on the premise that healthy diets contribute to delaying the onset and progression of many age-related diseases and disability. Yet, little is known about the dietary intakes or nutritional needs across the older adulthood age span. This review aims to identify community-based cohorts that collected information on dietary intake of adults≥65 y in the United States. Thirty-two cohorts met all inclusion criteria. We summarized information on the cohorts' design, demographics, and diet assessment. We also identified key gaps in the existing databases that, if filled, could enhance their utility to address certain research questions. This review serves as a valuable inventory of cohorts that can be leveraged to answer key questions about the diet and nutritional needs of the oldest old, who represent the fastest growing segment of the population in the United States.

Nutrition of older adults in the Republic of Kazakhstan

This article discusses a study on the nutrition specifics of older adults living in social service institutions in three major cities of the Republic of Kazakhstan: Nur-Sultan, Almaty, and Shymkent. The direction of the research meets the priorities of the World Health Organization to achieve goals on aging and health. The diets of older adults in the Republic of Kazakhstan were studied, food preferences were identified, and needs for basic nutrients were established. This article presents the results of sociological surveys of older adults who answered questions about nutrition, preferred foods, raw materials, and meat products. Based on the survey results, technologies of herodietic meat products aimed at enriching the diet with proteins were developed, along with practical recommendations for a balanced diet. This area of research is relevant due to the lack of products with a herodietic profile on the Kazakhstan market.

Associations of sarcopenia components with physical activity and nutrition in Australian older adults performing exercise training

BackgroundThe risk of progressive declines in skeletal muscle mass and strength, termed sarcopenia, increases with age, physical inactivity and poor diet. The purpose of this study was to explore and compare associations of sarcopenia components with self-reported physical activity and nutrition in older adults participating in resistance training at Helsinki University Research [HUR] and conventional gyms for over a year, once a week, on average.MethodsThe study looked at differences between HUR (n = 3) and conventional (n = 1) gyms. Muscle strength (via handgrip strength and chair stands), appendicular lean mass (ALM; via dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) and physical performance (via gait speed over a 4-m distance, short physical performance battery, timed up and go and 400-m walk tests) were evaluated in 80 community-dwelling older adults (mean ± SD 76.5 ± 6.5 years). Pearson correlations explored associations for sarcopenia components with self-reported physical activity (via Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly [PASE]) and nutrition (via Australian Eating Survey).ResultsNo differences in PASE and the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS) were observed between HUR and conventional gyms, however HUR gym participants had a significantly higher self-reported protein intake (108 ± 39 g vs 88 ± 27 g; p = 0.029) and a trend to have higher energy intake (9698 ± 3006 kJ vs 8266 ± 2904 kJ; p = 0.055). In both gym groups, gait speed was positively associated with self-reported physical activity (r = 0.275; p = 0.039 and r = 0.423; p = 0.044 for HUR and conventional gyms, respectively). ALM was positively associated with protein (p = 0.047, r = 0.418) and energy (p = 0.038, r = 0.435) intake in the conventional gym group. Similar associations were observed for ALM/h2 in the HUR group. None of the sarcopenia components were associated with ARFS in either gym group.ConclusionOlder adults attending HUR and conventional gyms had similar self-reported function and nutrition (but not protein intake). Inadequate physical activity was associated with low gait speed and inadequate nutrition and low protein ingestion associated with low lean mas, even in older adults participating in exercise programs. Optimal physical activity and nutrition are important for maintaining muscle mass and function in older adults.

Personalised nutrition for older adults: design challenges, SME barriers, and options and competencies for innovation

Personalised nutrition (PN) products and services have the potential to enhance the health and quality of life of older adults. However, PN innovation is challenging and requires specific competencies and supportive collaborations. This paper reports findings from a Collective Intelligence Scenario-Based Design session conducted with PN experts as part of the Horizon 2020 project INCluSilver, which aims to support the development of products, services, and systems that improve the health and quality of life of older adults through innovation in PN. Experts identified challenges to the design of PN products and services and barriers that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) face when innovating PN products and services for older adults. Options to address these barriers were generated and specific SME competencies supporting PN innovation were identified. This study provides a useful framework for understanding the challenges, opportunities, and key competencies needed to innovate PN products and services for older adults.

A Review of the Evidence Base for Nutrition and Nutritional Supplements in Older Adults with Bipolar Disorder: A report from the OABD task force.

To better understand the role of nutrition in older adults (aged 50 years or older) with bipolar disorders (OABD), we conducted a systematic review of the literature and appraise existing evidence. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched databases including Medline/PubMed, PsychINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Register, FDA website, and clinical trial registries through 2019 for eligible reports. The search string combined MeSH terms for bipolar disorder, nutrition and older adults. This was supplemented by snowball searching of references in relevant studies and authors were contacted to request their work where necessary. All included studies were rated with the National Institutes of Health Study Quality Assessment Tools based on study designs. Of 2280 papers screened, ten studies including eight observational and two interventional studies. The topic foci of the papers examined several nutrients, (including vitamin B12, vitamin D, coenzyme Q10, homocysteine, and folate), nutritional deficiencies and biochemical correlates. The prevalence rates of deficiencies varied with specific nutrients (3.7% to 71.6% for Vitamin B12 and 34.6% for Vitamin D), and between inpatient versus outpatient populations. While nutritional interventions appeared to be associated with improvement in both affective and cognitive outcomes, the sample sizes of OABD varied and were generally small. While there is evidence for the benefits of nutritional interventions on affective, cognitive and overall outcome in OABD, the quality of the evidence is limited. Our findings underscore the need for high quality studies to inform evidence-based guidelines for nutritional assessment and supplemention in OABD.

Nutrition in older adults living with diabetes

AbstractPeople in the UK are living longer, consequently an increasing number of adults are living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes to an older age. Diabetes is a complex condition to manage, requiring consideration of several different dietary recommendations. In addition, there are many nutritional issues and social barriers associated with older age, which may make following these recommendations more difficult.Older adults represent a diverse age group with varying needs. In order to give the most appropriate advice, clinicians need to consider the functional status of the older adult. Some older adults will continue to manage their diabetes and nutrition in the same manner as their younger peers. Others may have increased needs due to disease or social circumstance, which may affect how they should be advised to manage their diabetes.Both obesity and malnutrition are prevalent in older adults. They impact both nutritional status and diabetes management and are important to consider. Sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass, increases frailty in older adults which may exacerbate hypoglycaemic episodes. Nutrition support and tailored dietary interventions by a registered dietitian to help manage these conditions are essential. This, in addition to consideration of the many social, financial and physical barriers to nutrition, is key management of diabetes in older adults.This review aims to explore the complex challenges in nutrition for older adults with diabetes. Copyright © 2020 John Wiley &amp; Sons.

Factors associated with the overlap of frailty and nutrition in institutionalized older adults: A multicenter study

ObjectivesThis multicenter cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the factors associated with the overlap of frailty and nutrition in older adults residing in nursing homes. MethodOlder adults (n = 344, mean age ± SD = 77.7 ± 9.1) were selected from 17 nursing homes, 10 in Piracicaba and seven in João Pessoa, Brazil. The modified Fried’s questionnaire and the Mini Nutrition Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF) were used for screening frailty phenotypes and nutritional status, respectively. These variables overlapped into (1) frail and malnourished; (2) nonfrail and malnourished or frail and nourished; and (3) nonfrail and nourished. The independent variables were sex, age, mobility, number of medications, dependence for activities of daily living (ADL), maximal grip strength, muscle mass, body fat and body mass index (BMI). Spearman’s correlation and Poisson regression were used to analyze the data (α = 0.05). ResultsThe Spearman’s test demonstrated a moderate correlation (r2=-0.441) between frailty (mean ± SD = 2.8 ± 1.7) and nutritional status (mean ± SD = 10.5 ± 2.9). Regarding the overlap of frailty and nutrition, 139 participants (40.5 %) were frail and malnourished, 121 (35.3 %) were nonfrail and malnourished or frail and nourished, and 83 (24.2 %) were nonfrail and nourished. The Poisson regression showed association of the coexistence of frailty and malnutrition with age (PR = 1.009, 95 % CI = 1.003−1.016), number of medications (PR = 1.016, 95 % CI = 1.006−1.027), dependence for ADL (PR = 1.061, 95 % CI = 1.016−1.108), maximal grip strength (PR = 0.992, 95 % CI = 0.986−0.998) and BMI (PR = 0.997, 95 % CI = 0.996−0.998). ConclusionsThe findings showed that frailty and malnutrition were prevalent in institutionalized older adults and associated with advanced age, greater use of medicines, dependence for ADL, lower maximal grip strength and lower BMI.