Sometimes health issues or other problems can make it hard to eat healthy. Here are some tips that might help:. The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice.

Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Nutrition for Older Adults. On this page Basics Summary Start Here Diagnosis and Tests. Learn More Related Issues Specifics. See, Play and Learn Health Check Tools. Research Clinical Trials Journal Articles.

Resources Reference Desk Find an Expert. For You No links available. What is nutrition and why is it important for older adults?

What can make it harder for me to eat healthy as I age? These include changes in your: Home life, such as suddenly living alone or having trouble getting around Health, which can make it harder for you to cook or feed yourself Medicines, which can change how food tastes, make your mouth dry, or take away your appetite Income, which means that you may not have as much money for food Sense of smell and taste Problems chewing or swallowing your food How can I eat healthy as I age?

To stay healthy as you age, you should: Eat foods that give you lots of nutrients without a lot of extra calories , such as Fruits and vegetables choose different types with bright colors Whole grains, like oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, and brown rice Fat-free or low-fat milk and cheese, or soy or rice milk that has added vitamin D and calcium Seafood, lean meats, poultry, and eggs Beans, nuts, and seeds Avoid empty calories.

These are foods with lots of calories but few nutrients, such as chips, candy, baked goods, soda, and alcohol. Pick foods that are low in cholesterol and fat. You especially want to try to avoid saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats are usually fats that come from animals. Trans fats are processed fats in stick margarine and vegetable shortening.

You may find them in some store-bought baked goods and fried foods at some fast-food restaurants. Drink enough liquids , so you don't get dehydrated.

Some people lose their sense of thirst as they age. This article explains how your nutritional needs change as you age, including how to address them. Aging is linked to a variety of changes in the body, including muscle loss, thinner skin and less stomach acid. Some of these changes can make you prone to nutrient deficiencies, while others can affect your senses and quality of life.

Low stomach acid can affect the absorption of nutrients, such as vitamin B12, calcium, iron and magnesium 1 , 2. Another challenge of aging is a reduced need for calories.

Unfortunately, this creates a nutritional dilemma. Older adults need to get just as much, if not more, of some nutrients, all while eating fewer calories. Fortunately, eating a variety of whole foods and taking a supplement can help you meet your nutrient needs. This could make you prone to dehydration and unintentional weight loss.

And the older you get, the harsher these consequences may be 3 , 4. Aging is linked to muscle loss, thinner skin and reduced stomach acid. Your ability to recognize hunger and thirst may also be reduced as you age. Older adults may need fewer calories to maintain their weight, since they tend to move and exercise less and carry less muscle 5.

If you continue to eat the same number of calories per day as you did when you were younger, you could easily gain extra fat, especially around the belly area 6. This is especially true in postmenopausal women, as the decline in estrogen levels seen during this time may promote belly fat storage 7.

However, even though older adults need fewer calories, they need just as high or even higher levels of some nutrients, compared to younger people.

This makes it very important for older people to eat a variety of whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, fish and lean meats. These healthy staples can help you fight nutrient deficiencies, without expanding your waistline. Nutrients that become especially important as you age include protein, vitamin D, calcium and vitamin B Older adults generally need fewer calories.

However, their nutrient needs are just as high or higher than when they were younger. Eating more protein could help your body maintain muscle and fight sarcopenia One study followed 2, elderly people over three years.

Also, a review of 20 recent studies in elderly people found that eating more protein or taking protein supplements may slow the rate of muscle loss, increase muscle mass and help build more muscle Furthermore, combining a protein-rich diet with resistance exercise seems to be the most effective way to fight sarcopenia You can find many simple ways to increase your protein intake here.

Eating a protein-rich diet could help fight sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle and strength. Research shows you may get the most benefits if you combine a protein-rich diet with resistance exercise. Eating fiber may help relieve constipation.

It passes through the gut undigested, helping form stool and promote regular bowel movements In an analysis of five studies, scientists found that dietary fiber helped stimulate bowel movements in people with constipation Additionally, a high-fiber diet may prevent diverticular disease, a condition in which small pouches form along the colon wall and become infected or inflamed.

This condition is especially common among the elderly Diverticular disease is often viewed as a disease of the Western diet. Conversely, diverticular disease is almost absent in populations with higher fiber intakes. For example, in Japan and Africa, diverticular disease affects less than 0.

You can find a few ways to increase your fiber intake here. Bowel-related issues, including constipation and diverticular disease, can occur as you age.

You can help protect yourself by increasing your fiber intake. Calcium helps build and maintain healthy bones, while vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium The nine hallmarks identified by Lopez-Otin et al. are 1 genomic instability, 2 telomere attrition, 3 epigenetic alterations, 4 loss of proteostasis, 5 deregulated nutrient-sensing, 6 mitochondrial dysfunction, 7 cellular senescence, 8 stem cell exhaustion, and 9 altered intercellular communication; a list to which Steele adds the tenth hallmark: changes in the microbiome.

Based on recent advances in the field of aging, modulating these hallmarks through diet and lifestyle is key to delaying the path of age-related decline. The hallmarks of aging are characteristic of every aging cell in our body, the result being changes at the level of the different organs and systems.

In the section below, we discuss these changes affecting the main biological systems in the body, namely the digestive, immune, musculoskeletal, nervous, and cardiovascular systems, as well as the microbiome.

The role of the digestive system goes beyond nutrient supply and includes hormone production, immune regulation and gut-organ communication, important functions impacting the main biological systems in the human body The gastrointestinal GI tract is home to billions of important residents, the gut microbiota, known for their role in gut barrier protection, nutrient digestion and absorption 15 , and communication with other organs Age-related changes can be observed along the entire digestive tract, some starting as early as age 40 in a healthy population Changes in food intake control that impact hunger and satiety, as well as altered oral function 18 , gut integrity 19 , motility, digestion, and absorption may be observed around the 4th decade of life and are highly prevalent by the age of Gastro-esophageal reflux, a condition associated with decreased esophageal function, is more prevalent in older versus younger men and women Similarly, motility at the level of the colon is compromised with age, as suggested by studies looking at rates of constipation in young versus older adults Although these studies are often confounded by secondary aging factors such as physical activity, dietary habits, and water intake, reduced colonic motility is an age-related issue and a common complaint reported to affect quality of life 21 , Food intake control is another area that is believed to be affected by aging.

More specifically, lower hunger ratings and higher level of anorexigenic hormones [namely cholecystokinin CCK ] in the elderly have been reported versus their younger counterparts 14 and further supported reduced energy intakes in older adults However, significant changes are likely to occur closer to the age of 70, an age at which the effect of these alterations leads to anorexia and involuntary weight loss in the elderly Meanwhile, the absorption of some important micronutrients such as calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12 declines with age Vitamin B12 absorption is dependent on pepsin and acid secretions shown to be lower in older adults Calcium absorption is mediated by the intestinal response to the active form of vitamin D which is impaired with age.

This is compounded by the age-related reduction in intestinal and renal absorption of vitamin D as well as its synthesis in the skin On the other hand, and although lactose intolerance is a common complaint of older adults, research to date has not confirmed a decrease in lactase levels between young and old age Nevertheless, perceived, or self-diagnosed lactose intolerance may lead to a limited consumption of dairy products and therefore lower calcium intake.

The immune system is developed throughout infancy until adulthood Maintaining a healthy immune system leading up to the onset of aging and throughout this life stage is an investment into the prevention of infections and diseases of old age.

To tackle age-related immune decline, nutritional and lifestyle solutions should be targeting its three main components: immunosenescence, inflammaging, and dysbiosis. Immunoscenescence is a reduction in quality and quantity of immune responses, resulting from an imbalance in the type of immune cells, their ability to mount an adequate immune response against pathogens and to build memory of previously encountered pathogens 30 , It is also paradoxically characterized by an excessive inflammatory response to antigens and an ineffective resolution of inflammation, favoring a pro-inflammatory state, which when chronic, is referred to as inflammaging 31 , Although multifactorial, inflammaging is mainly driven by three aspects: a dysregulation of the innate monocyte-macrophage network innate immunity , a gradual senescence of T and B cells adaptive immunity , and external amplifying factors such as the lifelong exposure to antigens and inflammatory stimuli 31 , 33 , Consequences of immune cell senescence, such as the release of mitochondrial DNA into the plasma, are observed as early as age 50, stimulating the production of pro-inflammatory mediators typical of inflammaging 31 , Reduced vaccine responsiveness and increased risk of chronic diseases are examples of age-related features associated with inflammaging 33 — Finally, the immune system is the orchestrator of the collaboration between gut microbiota and its host, also acting as a surveillance system to ensure that microbial balance remains in favor of commensal bacteria over pathogens.

Immunosenescence therefore greatly affects this balance, leading to dysbiosis. In return, dysbiosis affects the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, vitamins, and immune cells, exacerbating low-grade inflammation and the aging process in the gut.

This reduces gut integrity and increases susceptibility to pathogenic infections. The main health consequences of age-related immune decline are a higher susceptibility to newly encountered pathogenic infections and a potential reduction in vaccination responses in older adults.

Although not an organ system per se , the gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in the health of other systems, be it immune, digestive, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, or nervous systems A healthy microbiota, generally characterized by high counts of bifidobacterium and lactobacillus species, compete with pathogens for adhesion to the intestinal mucosa and promote the development of immune cells.

In addition, the production of short chain fatty acids SCFA , a major asset of healthy microbiota, reduces the luminal pH making it a hostile environment for pathogens 37 , That said, the microbiome has a well-recognized impact well beyond the gut, on overall health.

Indeed, it is increasingly clear that an immune dysfunction at the level of the gut may have consequences on other organ immunities This is mediated by the crosstalk between different systems through the so-called gut-organ axes, such as the gut-liver axis, gut-lung axis and the gut-brain axis Just like other systems, the microbiome is prone to aging.

Studies having examined changes in microbiota composition and diversity across life stages agree that major shifts in microbiota composition occur with the onset of frailty While microbiota during adulthood is fairly stable, it is not clear what age is associated with the decline in microbial richness and diversity This microbial imbalance is associated with a high level of pro-inflammatory cytokines and low levels of SCFA, disrupting the stability of intestinal epithelial tight junctions The resulting increase in gut permeability allows pathogens to translocate into the systemic circulation.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 44 surveys show that one in nine adults over 45 years of age self-report subjective cognitive decline Behind this decline lies a series of structural changes 46 such as brain weight, neuron numbers and size of dendritic fields 47 , as well as neurophysiological changes such as cerebral blood flow, myelination and synapse numbers to name a few 48 — These changes can be linear cerebral blood flow and glucose metabolism or follow a bell- shaped curve with a decline starting as early as 45 years of age e.

The latter is considered to be the most strongly correlated with cognitive impairment 52 , Age-related changes in the brain were traditionally believed to affect all brain regions equally; however, it is increasingly clear that these changes are region-specific 54 , The most affected areas are the frontal cortex and parts of the hippocampal system, regions involved in executive function, learning and memory 47 , 56 , Indeed, the age-associated loss of gray matter consisting of neuronal cell bodies with age is especially evident in the lateral prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, and caudate nucleus; and the shrinkage of white matter consisting of myelinated axons is seen to be particularly prevalent in the prefrontal cortex Changes in neurotransmitter levels have also been observed with aging, namely dopaminergic and cholinergic declines, potentially compromising attention and memory 49 , Overall, and from a cognitive function point of view, age-related deficits have been observed at the level of the three main cognitive domains: attention, memory, and executive function.

However, within these domains, not all functions are equally affected. For instance, in the attention domain, processing speed clearly declines with age 58 , 59 while sustained attention was surprisingly seen to improve in older adults as subjects trade off reaction time for increased accuracy in response This was supported by a meta-analysis by Vallesi et al.

On the other hand, implicit memory and semantic memory seem fairly stable in healthy aging 60 , As for the domain of executive functions, its 3 core abilities are not equally affected by age. Indeed, while working memory has been reported to decline starting at age 20, inhibition is not necessarily affected by age and if so, the decline is task specific.

This is particularly observed in cases of task switching, affected mostly in dual task contexts Along with cognition, mood and well-being are important players in maintaining brain health as we age. Interestingly, well-being appears to generally be stable or even improve with age, when physical health and cognitive impairment are ruled out as potential confounders 63 — Despite the fact that this life stage is often characterized by the loss of loved ones, retirement and financial insecurity, older adults choose to focus on positive thoughts and to disregard negative memories or stimuli, seeking direct gratification rather than long-term reward and therefore maintaining a more positive outlook on life than younger adults This phenomenon was coined by Reed et al.

Musculoskeletal health is crucial to support a level of mobility that humans require to be physically independent and autonomous. It is therefore a very strong predictor of quality of life 70 , Osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, sarcopenia and cachexia are conditions affecting the aging adult with a heavy impact on mobility and consequently, quality of life Although the general trend is a declining one, there are important gender differences at every life stage resulting in peak bone mass being lower and its decline higher in females compared to males, with an accelerated rate observed in women around menopause OA affects the weight-bearing joints and is characterized by a degradation of the cartilage matrix leading to symptoms such as chronic pain, joint stiffness, and instability Numerous cohort studies have investigated the prevalence of OA using the radiographic presence of OA in the knee, hip and other joints On a cellular level, the progression of OA occurs through a vicious circle whereby cartilage degradation stimulates chondrocyte proliferation and associated catabolic factors, further degrading the cartilage tissue Normal age-related wear and tear can lead to a progressive degradation of the cartilage.

Additional factors such as obesity, loss of body balance, joint injury and instability can accelerate the process of cartilage loss with its impact on joint flexibility Sarcopenia, the definition of which was largely debated in the scientific community, is defined according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia and Older People EWGSOP criteria as the presence of low muscle mass, plus low muscle strength, or low physical performance As for muscle strength, its rate of decline is about 3 times larger than that of muscle mass after the age of 50 This age-related decline in skeletal muscle mass is attributed to an imbalance between muscle protein synthesis and breakdown rates, resulting in a negative muscle protein balance.

Adequate dietary protein intake promote muscle protein synthesis rates. Physical activity performed before protein intake increases the use of protein-derived amino acids for postprandial muscle protein accretion in senescent muscles Thus, the level of habitual physical activity is fundamental to maintain the anabolic responsiveness to protein intake with aging 84 and, ultimately, support healthy aging.

There are other age-related confounding factors accelerating muscle aging, such as illness and accidents. The impact of these factors is well represented in the catabolic crisis model proposed by English et al.

Cardiovascular health is determined by the health state of the heart and the vasculature which regulate blood flow and blood pressure, ensuring adequate nutrition and oxygenation to all organ systems Age is one of the greatest risk factors for cardiovascular disease which remains the leading cause of death in most countries; but environmental components unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, smoking, pollution, stress may lead to premature deterioration of cardiovascular homeostasis and metabolic disturbances, ultimately leading to the early onset of disease in the vasculature and the myocardium heart muscle.

The effect of aging on arterial stiffness and associated factors has been investigated in animal and human studies showing that, regardless of other cardiovascular risk factors, primary aging is an independent promotor of vascular aging For instance, between ages of 20 and 90, arterial wall thickness increases two to three-fold 17 , Associated with these structural and functional changes in the vasculature is a significant age-related decline in endothelial function.

Studies on healthy adults of different ages show a significant negative effect of aging on endothelium-dependent vasodilation, indicating endothelial dysfunction The Framingham Heart study 91 demonstrates that aging is the strongest independent correlate of endothelium-dependent vasodilation.

Other studies suggest that age-related endothelial changes throw the vascular system into a vicious circle where its effect is compounded by hypertension, inflammation, and lipid build-up, further increasing the risk of cardiovascular events The direct result of impaired endothelial function is a decreased blood flow, also shown to decline with age.

The rate of the decline is gender-specific. Males reach the onset faster than females, and after onset, loss of function is accelerated for females Another factor which compromises blood flow and circulation is the age-related reduction in cardiac output, mainly due to the effect of age on the number, function, and regeneration of cardiac cells.

Indeed, the regenerative capacity of cardiac cells decreases from 1 to 0. The loss of cardiac myocytes and an increase in fibrosis of the myocardium lead to a reduction in cardiac output and performance This loss in cardiac output may stimulate the heart to produce muscle mass.

Although this mechanism may provide an effective short-term solution, it is detrimental on the longer term and contributes to slow the propagation of the electric impulse. Like for vascular aging, gender-specific differences have been observed in the patterns of cardiac aging, which could be related to both hormone-dependent or -independent mechanisms Lipid build-up, mentioned above as a factor affecting vascular health, plays a role in plaque initiation and progression.

The evolution of atherosclerosis starts with fatty streaks which form plaque along with fibrous elements, smooth muscle cells, and inflammatory cells such as T-lymphocytes Aging was shown to affect these components putting older adults at an increased risk of developing severe atherosclerotic plaques Second, arterial smooth muscle cells become increasingly disarrayed as do elastic fibers.

Third, inflammation and oxidative stress, known to play an enhancing role in atherosclerosis, progressively escalate with age As mentioned earlier, there is a closely related interplay between cardiovascular homeostasis and metabolic disturbances.

Results from the Baltimore Study of aging highlight that there is an obvious age-dependent increase in glucose response and fasting blood glucose between ages 30 and However, this increase is less striking after age The authors argue that, in accordance with other studies, this worsening trend in glucose control is related to an increase in fat mass and a reduction in physical fitness, mainly due to unhealthy dietary patterns, sarcopenia, menopause, among other conditions typical of aging Therefore, once again, the compounded effect of lifestyle-associated secondary aging, and primary aging, worsens insulin resistance and glucose control in the older adult.

Modifying the aging trajectory may be achieved by identifying a series of important players in the aging process and targeting them through interventions such as diet and lifestyle modifications which would help curb the functional decline in different biological systems.

Drawing from the growing research on physiological changes associated with aging, we highlight selected targets and strategies for the maintenance of good health during aging. Older adults are prone to insufficient energy, macronutrient namely protein , and micronutrient intakes, more significantly after the age of 65 years, often leading to nutrient deficiencies.

The most common ones are deficiencies in vitamin B12, Iron, vitamin D and Calcium Driven by intrinsic factors such as dental health, mental health, and digestive discomfort, or extrinsic factors such as social isolation and financial instability, diet quality is generally reduced with aging and so is the nutritional status of older individuals 14 , From a food intake point of view, it has been shown that feelings of hunger are reduced with aging 23 , Although confirmatory research is needed, the decrease in hunger is likely a result of an imbalance in gut peptide levels, more specifically an increase in plasma cholecystokinin concentrations, consistently shown to be higher in older versus younger adults — If food intake is reduced due to blunted hunger signals, it could further be decreased by the post-prandial gut discomfort experienced by older adults.

Indeed, gastroesophageal reflux, bloating and constipation are quite prevalent amongst adults 60 years and older — , with esophageal motility shown to start declining as early as age 40 17 , Interventions to improve hunger in the elderly have shown to increase energy and nutrient intake and reduce age-associated weight loss.

These interventions include serving smaller energy-enriched portions, favoring liquid versus solid textures e. Micronutrient supplementation as well have shown benefits in improving micronutrient status in older adults , All systems rely on the gastrointestinal tract for their supply of nutrients which cannot be ensured if ingested nutrients are not adequately digested and absorbed.

The declining absorption of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, compounded with their reduced intake described earlier makes them nutrients of concern for the older adult population typically at risk of osteoporotic fractures and cognitive decline.

Meanwhile, Vitamin B12 inadequacy recommended intake: 2. Therefore, proposing strategies to improve digestion and absorption of these nutrients could prevent specific nutrient deficiencies with deleterious health impacts on aging individuals. For instance, maintaining a healthy gut microbial environment known to promote an anti-inflammatory state and consequently promote digestion and absorption of nutrients constitutes a relevant target to increase nutrient availability from the gut.

Indeed, intestinal microbiota were reported to play a key role in macronutrient digestion and absorption , Similarly, ensuring optimal gastric acidity and pepsin levels to enable efficient digestion and absorption of nutrients such as vitamin B12 is another avenue to support digestion and absorption of this important micronutrient which declines with age.

Energy substrate utilization is altered with age as insulin sensitivity decreases and anabolic resistance increases The implications on glucose metabolism are an impaired glucose response to a meal and compromised glucose utilization in multiple organs including the brain Fat metabolism is equally affected by aging as fat deposition is redistributed from subcutaneous to visceral fat.

This is partly due to declining levels of sex hormones and the decreased ability of adipocytes to buffer dietary lipids, channeling fat deposition to the muscle and liver Visceral fat is subject to oxidation, promoting a state of low-grade inflammation, further impairing insulin sensitivity and increasing the risk of chronic diseases Finally, age-related anabolic resistance, especially in the postprandial state leads to blunted postprandial muscle protein synthesis, which if sustained, results in lower muscle mass and strength 84 , Although age-related reductions in protein digestion and absorption were not consistently shown 14 , , , the reduction in intake and anabolic resistance to dietary protein associated with aging make protein metabolism an area of concern for older adults.

On a cellular level, mitochondrial energy metabolism is typically less efficient in senescent cells Maintaining mitochondrial health and delaying dysfunction has been shown to promote energy homeostasis and may therefore prevent tissue damage and delay cellular aging. In summary, energy metabolism occupies a prime position in the strategies designed to curb the aging trajectory and improve lifespan and health span.

Low-grade inflammation is a ubiquitous condition in older adults related to multiple age-associated factors, namely oxidative stress, DNA damage, infection history and dysbiosis Inflammaging is a main contributing factor to tissue damage and the decline in immunity, mobility, brain, heart, and gut health.

Higher blood levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines have also been linked to an increased loss of muscle strength, potentially through the degradation of myofibrillar proteins Similarly, systemic inflammation is believed to activate innate immunity in the central nervous system CNS which may lead to neuroinflammation, a known factor in neurodegenerative disease From a cardiovascular point of view, inflammation is involved in various stages of atherosclerosis and research shows that inflammatory markers such as CRP are good predictors of cardiovascular events regardless of blood LDL-cholesterol levels , Finally, inflammation at the level of the gut promotes intestinal barrier permeability, weakening barrier function and consequently gut health.

As such, inflammaging is a warranted target for the maintenance of good health and the delay of age-associated functional decline. One of the most popular theories of aging is the free radical theory which stipulates that aging occurs as a result of the accumulation of reactive oxygen species ROS damage, leading to cellular dysfunction.

Indeed, an elevation in cellular ROS levels coupled with a reduction in antioxidant capacity has been associated with aging A physiological production of ROS is a core part of natural defenses, be it against invading pathogens , or as a protective mechanism through which antioxidant capacity is upregulated, for instance in the brain However, an imbalanced redox status characterized by excessive ROS production and an accumulation of oxidative products leads to tissue damage and functional decline.

In fact, high ROS production in the gut is associated with increased inflammation, low SCFA production, and dysbiosis, all deleterious to gut and systemic immunity Oxidative stress is also a major contributor to the loss of bone mass and strength In a review by Domazetovic et al.

This tendency toward bone catabolism is manifested as decreased bone strength , thus weakening the skeletal system. In the joint, an increase in ROS due to mitochondrial dysfunction leads to chondrocyte inflammation, apoptosis, matrix catabolism and calcification , affecting joint flexibility.

In the brain, a high ROS producer, a decrease in antioxidant capacity means a loss of protection against high oxidative stress, exposing neurons to tissue damage and inflammation and leading to cognitive decline Finally, oxidative stress plays an important role in the process of atherosclerosis, as oxidized lipids in the endothelium lead to the generation of ROS which contribute to atherosclerotic plaque and nitric oxide inactivation, hence reducing its bioavailability and beneficial effect on the endothelium.

Equally to inflammation, management of oxidative stress is a relevant target to the different systems of the aging human body and therefore should be the focus of interventions. Gut microbial health is determined by its billions of residents acting locally as the first line of defense against invading pathogens and influencing the health of other biological systems through the gut-organ axes 16 , 30 , 37 , A healthy microbiota, generally characterized by high counts of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species, compete with pathogens for adhesion to the mucosa and promote the development of immune cells.

On the other hand, pathogens and pro-inflammatory cytokines can disrupt the stability of tight junctions and lead to increased gut permeability. It is this interplay between commensals and pathogens that limits infection and disease With recent research shedding light on the communication between different organs and host immunity 16 , 30 , it is increasingly clear that immune dysfunction at the level of the gut may have consequences on the immune health of other organs e.

This is mediated by the crosstalk between different systems through the so-called gut-organ axes, such as the gut-liver axis, gut-lung axis and the gut-brain axis. More specifically, immune systems in the gut and other organs communicate via the gut microbiota and its metabolites such as SCFA acting as signaling molecules 41 , — Improving microbiota composition or the balance between beneficial microbiota and pathobionts thus represents a central target for the maintenance of gut barrier integrity, immunity, and subsequently, general health and wellbeing.

The debate around whether humans are programmed to live a certain number of years is an ongoing one with data from human studies proposing genetic makeup as a main player in aging and longevity This was supported by sibling and extended family studies which concluded that genetic factors were directly linked to lifespan, after adjusting for family environment , Moreover, specific mutations in genes associated with DNA repair, telomere conservation and free radical control were found to have a modulatory effect on longevity Fewer studies exist on the relationship between lifestyle and longevity per se.

Findings reveal negative correlations between a healthy lifestyle combined diet and physical activity and age-associated decline or all-cause mortality — , as well as a positive correlation with longevity itself , In that regard, the Healthy Aging Longitudinal study of Europe cohort , aiming to identify lifestyle patterns which could influence longevity, followed to year-old individuals for 10 years and collected data pertaining to diet and lifestyle, as well as disease, disability, and mortality.

The authors reported a strong inverse relationship between a healthy lifestyle pattern and all-cause mortality, that pattern being a combination of adhering to the Mediterranean diet, being physically active, consuming alcohol in moderation and not smoking Another observational study investigating longevity of the US population as a function of behavioral factors reported a significantly higher life expectancy in individuals with healthy behavioral profiles versus the total population Briefly, a healthy behavioral profile characterized by the absence of obesity, smoking and heavy drinking increased life expectancy by 7 years and delayed the onset of disability by 6 years as compared to the general US population.

While research on promotors of longevity is rather limited, there is a larger body of evidence on factors enhancing different aspects of health in aging. These factors can be categorized into unmodifiable or fixed such as gender and genetics, and modifiable such as diet and physical activity.

Gender differences in aging are particularly observed in the area of mobility whereby peak bone mass is lower and the decline in bone density steeper in women than in men. However, gender becomes a differentiating factor in multiple biological systems after menopause. First, hormonal shifts affect nutrient utilization, altering fat metabolism predisposing women to abdominal obesity and increasing their risk for cardiovascular disease Some micronutrients such as vitamin C and calcium are also affected by the loss of the protective effect of estrogen during menopause.

The utilization of vitamin C increases to counterbalance the increase in oxidative stress typical of menopause Similarly, as bone resorption increases, calcium needs are increased to prevent osteoporotic fractures. Second, from a digestive health perspective, menopausal changes have been shown to alter gut microbiota, causing dysbiosis with an increase in the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio Finally, the menopausal transition puts women at a higher risk of depression, the effect on mood being partly explained by the loss of the beneficial effect of estrogen on serotonin and other mood regulating hormones Therefore, around age 50, gender differences become increasingly striking and must be taken into consideration when designing interventions for healthy aging.

Genome-wide association studies have greatly increased knowledge around genetic variations and their modulation of chronic disease risk. Genes associated with physiological and metabolic pathways may therefore predict the path to age-related disorders For instance, numerous gene variants were identified to be associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease , and its five main risk factors, diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, smoking nicotine dependence , and hypertension Equally, numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms were associated with bone mineral density, osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures Considering the role that genes play in determining longevity and their association with the risk of age-related disease, it is safe to say that genetics contribute significantly to determining both lifespan and health span.

In their review on human longevity, Passarino et al. Therefore, regardless of the competitive advantage hidden in our genes, lifestyle is most definitely linked to the way we age.

Nutritional modifications have repeatedly shown to significantly impact the risk of various age-related diseases, and nutritional solutions may be designed to target the hallmarks of aging. Although personalized nutrition is increasingly considered as the optimal means to promote healthy aging, research on its long-term impact on disease prevention remains limited On the other hand, some dietary solutions discussed below are well-supported in terms of their role in the prevention of age-related diseases and the promotion of healthy aging in the adult population.

Aging is characterized by a declining nutritional status due to reduced intakes of nutrient-dense foods, lower intestinal absorption, and impaired nutrient metabolism. Nutrient requirements of older adults 60 years and over and dietary guidelines have therefore been adapted to accommodate for these differences with young individuals That said, dietary changes should start prior to the first signs of aging since the onset of decline in different systems can start as early as age More importantly, these requirements are often unmet due to the physical, social, and environmental difficulties that older adults face, more particularly the late elderly over 75 years.

Promoting a balanced diet and nutritional solutions to meet requirements is therefore important. For instance, meeting protein needs could be facilitated by offering solutions that provide high-quality protein and protein dense products adapted to age-related conditions e.

Similarly, micronutrient supplementation and fortification could be considered to counterbalance inadequate intake linked to an unbalanced diet. Unbalanced or unhealthy diets such as the western diet typically contain high levels of salt, saturated fats, refined sugars and are generally poor sources of dietary fiber and micronutrients.

Globally and over the past decades, diets have evolved from traditional healthy diets to westernized diets which have shown deleterious effects on health More specifically, westernized diets negatively impact the composition of gut microbiota, powerful metabolic regulators, whose functions have repercussions on all body systems, and general health , As mentioned earlier, gut microbiota composition and function are altered with age which further emphasizes the importance of a healthy, microbiome-promoting diet in this population.

Healthy dietary patterns, which can be defined by a variety of healthy eating indices, are generally rich sources of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, low-fat dairy and fish, and provide a healthy fat profile characterized by low saturated and high unsaturated fats, including polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids n-3 PUFAs omega-3s.

One such pattern is the Mediterranean diet which has particularly been explored in studies investigating the impact of nutrition on health markers in older adults. Findings from these studies associate the Mediterranean diet with a favorable inflammatory profile , lower risk of osteoporotic fractures , higher muscle mass and better mobility performance Importantly, a cause-and-effect relationship between the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular health was established in a randomized clinical trial demonstrating a lower rate of cardiovascular events following a plant-based Mediterranean-type intervention diet versus a western diet Other dietary patterns having shown beneficial effects on cardiovascular health are the DASH Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension diet, and the Portfolio diet.

The DASH diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. It also limits the intake of sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, red meat and added fats.

Its demonstrated efficacy on blood pressure has been reported in numerous clinical trials The portfolio diet is a plant-based dietary pattern promoting the intake of nuts, viscous fiber and vegetable protein and supplemented with plant sterols.

The portfolio diet is known for its reducing effect on LDL-cholesterol and was ranked first amongst efficacious dietary patterns for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease subjects with pre-existing CVD in a report of the National Heart foundation of Australia in Finally, the MIND diet, a pattern that is increasingly popular amongst scientists and practitioners, is a combination of the Mediterranean and the DASH diets targeting the driving processes behind cognitive decline Although dietary patterns mentioned here are supported by variable levels of scientific data, they share common characteristics combining healthy energy substrates whole grain carbohydrates, n-3 PUFAs, plant-based protein , reducing trans-fats, saturated fats, refined grains and added sugars, while providing good sources of antioxidants.

Components of these diets are natural bioactives with proven beneficial effects on the age-associated decline of different systems. Here, we highlight a few of these components. Meeting micronutrient needs through a healthy diet ensures a good functioning of all body systems.

Vitamins A, C, D as well as copper, iron, selenium and zinc are supported by sufficient evidence regarding their role in maintaining immune function In addition, clinical trials on the supplementation of zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E as well as multiple micronutrients in the aging population improve immune activity, reduce the incidence and morbidity of respiratory tract infections, and may improve the response to vaccination In addition to their role in immunity, B vitamins, specifically B6, B9 folate and B12 are central to maintaining cognitive function as deficiencies are linked to cognitive impairments , and supplementation studies have shown improvements in global cognition Other micronutrients such as calcium and vitamin D, magnesium, and potassium, highly available in the Mediterranean and the DASH diet, are efficacious for bone strength, colonic motility, and blood pressure, respectively.

Therefore, filling the micronutrient gap is essential for the maintenance of immune and brain health, especially in the context of deficiencies associated with older age. However, proper individual assessment should be made before supplementation as some elderly people may already consume in excess micronutrients such as vitamin A or folate The evolution of heart healthy diets was such that dietary fats were first demonized before regaining their place in primary prevention, with great emphasis on quality rather than quantity.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids, and especially n-3 PUFAS have since then been extensively researched and shown beneficial across different aspects of health. Marine n-3 PUFAs eicosapentanoic acid EPA and docosahexanoic acid DHA , , found in the Mediterranean diet through an adequate intake of fish, have consistently shown an inverse relationship with plasma pro-inflammatory markers such as IL-6, CRP, and TNF-a and a positive association with anti-inflammatory markers such as IL and TGF-b in young and older adults.

Their mechanism of action is mainly through displacing arachidonic acid, the main substrate for the production of eicosanoids, thus reducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines In light of the recent COVID pandemic affecting older adults in particular, Calder et al. suggest the inclusion of EPA and DHA in the treatment of affected patients to avoid the cytokine storm In fact, pre-clinical models of lung injury support the role of EPA and DHA in resolving inflammation and a recent meta-analysis of clinical trials concluded that n-3 PUFAs lead to the reduction of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay , The targeted effect of n-3 PUFAs on inflammatory pathways emphasizes the relevance of these fatty acids in the prevention of low-grade inflammation and its deleterious effect on immune, brain, musculoskeletal, digestive and heart health.

Polyphenols are phenolic compounds which are ubiquitous in the plant kingdom. Polyphenols from commonly consumed foods in healthy diets e.

Autophagy is a cellular housekeeping process that rids the cell of old and damaged organelles, improving cellular functioning and mitigating cellular oxidative stress. Cocoa and olive polyphenols are effective at reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in young and older adults 35 , resulting in significant improvement in blood lipids olive oil polyphenols and blood flow cocoa polyphenols.

Meanwhile, curcumin from the turmeric root demonstrated a protective effect on the cartilage manifested through reduced joint pain and increased functionality in older adults, explained by reduced levels of inflammation and oxidative stress.

Given the pivotal role of oxidative status and autophagy in cellular aging , polyphenols should be part of the prevention strategy for healthy aging. Microbiota-targeting solutions have been extensively investigated in recent years for their local digestive and systemic effects.

The latter include improvements in immune, cardiovascular, skeletal, and cognitive health. Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host Prebiotics are substrates that are selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit through altering their composition or function specifically Probiotics are established key players of immune health as discussed in the recent review by Bosco and Noti The authors evaluated findings from 31 studies on probiotic interventions in elderly subjects reporting that two thirds show a positive, albeit strain-specific effect on the immune system.

Benefits included improving response to vaccination and protecting against bacterial infections Probiotics are first and foremost the guardians of the intestinal barrier, protecting its integrity and forming a first line of defense against invading pathogens.

However, they also have an important role to play locally on digestion and absorption. For example, L. delbrueckii subsp.

bulgaricus and S. thermophilus in fermented milk were shown to improve lactose digestion, a claim that was accepted by the EFSA in Probiotics have been repeatedly suggested to impart cardiometabolic benefits such as lipid and glucose-lowering , by modulating gut microbiota and SCFA production, with a purported effect on oxidative stress and low-grade inflammation From a bone health perspective, a daily ingestion of L.

reuteri attenuated bone loss in older women with low bone mineral density Finally, psychobiotics, a relatively new class of probiotics that confer a mental health benefit to the host , have already shown promising effects on cognition and mental state, acting via the gut-brain axis by modulating neurotransmission, neurogenesis, and neuroinflammation Probiotics were shown to decrease depressive symptoms in individuals with depression , increase neurocognitive performance in healthy adults age 18 to 40 B.

longum , reduce anxiety symptoms in adults age 18 to 65 L. casei Shirota , and improve cognitive performance in older adults L. Helveticus , agreeing with findings from younger populations.

Notwithstanding the large body of evidence supporting the efficacy of probiotics on immune, digestive, cardiovascular and brain health, there is a need for additional targeted clinical trials to establish strain-specific effects on each of these benefits.

Just like probiotics, prebiotics are microbiota-related solutions having demonstrated multiple benefits for human health.

Complementing their well-established role in balancing the intestinal microbial ecosystem and consequently general health, specific effects of inulin-type of fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides GOS were reported on decreasing serum pro-inflammatory markers and increasing immune cell activity Prebiotics have also been investigated in mobility showing promising avenues for bone health.

Briefly, fructooligosaccharides FOS , inulin, and GOS increase calcium absorption in postmenopausal women — while FOS and inulin further reduce bone resorption markers and soluble corn fiber increase bone formation markers in the same population.

However, there is no evidence to date that this translates into increasing bone mineral density BMD or decreasing the risk of fracture. This is possibly due to the short-term nature of before mentioned studies which raises the need for longer-term research investigating the impact of prebiotics on bone strength and mobility.

Physical activity which includes exercise, in general terms, is commonly known for its health benefits and is an obvious component of strategies aiming to improve the general health of aging adults. In fact, according to the WHO, older adults should perform min of moderate-intensity exercise or at least 75 min of vigorous exercise per week The most obvious impact of exercise is on mobility where regular training can improve muscle structure and function in older adults to match that of men four decades younger In addition, exercise increases the number of muscle satellite cells , attenuates insulin resistance , improves mitochondrial capacity , and allows for greater use of dietary protein—derived amino acids for de novo muscle protein accretion in senescent muscle In bones, it increases mechanical stress and physical loading which in turn increases bone mass and density through activating bone formation and reducing resorption With regards to immunity, moderate to vigorous activity enhances immunosurveillance by recirculating immunoglobulins, immune cells, and anti-inflammatory cytokines , On the other hand, exercise immunology studies show that the impact of exercise on immune function follows a J-shaped curve where repeated moderate exercise enhances immune health, decreasing incidence of illness and dampening inflammation, while prolonged heavy exertion leads to an increased risk of illness.

This is due to a transient state of immune dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress which can last up to several days during recovery The same pattern is observed in digestive health whereby regular moderate exercise has positive effects on gut motility and microbiota composition whereas exertive exercise can have deleterious effects on gut health In terms of the decline in cognitive and cardiovascular function, preventive effects of regular moderate exercise share common pathways, namely an increase in blood flow and a decrease in inflammation and oxidative stress.

In fact, cardiovascular training is considered as one of the most effective strategies to prevent cognitive decline In a meta-analysis of exercise interventions in adults 18 to 90 years of age, Lin et al. report a beneficial effect of exercise on cardiorespiratory fitness CRF and markers of cardiovascular disease The latter included blood lipids, inflammatory markers, insulin resistance and hemostatic factors involved in endothelial function and blood pressure.

On the brain health front, studies have demonstrated that physical activity increases cognitive performance, more specifically in verbal memory and attention. Moreover, amongst aerobic exercises recommended for older adults, dancing has shown a superior effect, possibly differentiating itself by the additional positive emotional impact of music and the continuous engagement in cognitive and motor learning Aging is accompanied by disturbances in the circadian rhythm which lead to sleep disturbances Nocturnal sleep is a necessary physiological process which plays an important role in physical and mental recovery From a brain perspective, the restorative role of sleep involves brain tissue restoration, metabolite clearance, and memory consolidation In fact, sleep loss has consistently shown to impair cognitive performance, namely attention and executive control while sleep has proven to be a process that promotes memory stabilization and integration in the general population.

How these functions are affected in the context of the aging brain was addressed in the review by Scullin et al. suggesting that good sleep quality can promote cognitive function in young and middle-aged adults and protect against age-related cognitive declines The relevance of sleep and processes that occur during the sleeping state is often seen as exclusive to brain health.

However, the impact of sleep quality is ubiquitous to all systems of the human body although significant gaps in knowledge remain as to the clear impact of sleep quality on different aspects of health, namely immune, digestive, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular health. The relationship between sleep and immunity appears to be bidirectional whereby sleep restriction increases markers of inflammation such as IL-6, IL-1b, and TNF-α, while at the same time, increased levels of inflammatory markers result in disturbed sleep , Although not consistent in the literature, the causal relationship between sleep quality and immune function is supported by pre-clinical studies showing deleterious effects of sleep loss on inflammation, and clinical studies revealing an impact of sleep quality on adaptive immune responses, more specifically in the context of vaccination, whereby sleep deprivation was seen to attenuate antibody responses Equally bidirectional is the relationship between sleep and digestive health.

Furthermore, recent work has shown that sleep quality is associated with gut dysbiosis, and that sleep efficiency is positively associated with microbiota diversity This association is suggested to be mediated by the HPA hypothalamus pituitary adrenal -axis Finally, circadian dysregulations caused by sleep deficit modulate circadian hormones involved in nutrient metabolism and consequently, cardiometabolic health , St-Onge et al.

examined the strength of the evidence behind the role of sleep in cardiometabolic health in a review demonstrating that epidemiological and clinical trials support a deleterious effect of sleep restriction on insulin resistance, blood pressure, inflammatory markers, and cardiovascular risk in general Overall, the available clinical trials suggest that sleep deprivation can be deleterious to cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure and endothelial function Stress can be defined as the way the body responds to a challenge, be it physical or mental.

Although stress represents an asset from an evolution point of view, rooted in the fight or flight response, chronic stress over the lifespan has proven to be deleterious to health. Indeed, epidemiological data shows that individuals with chronic stress have signs of decreased immune performance manifested in poorer vaccination responses, impaired wound healing and weaker control of latent viruses This relationship was also observed in the experimental setting where a higher risk of developing a cold was associated with the occurrence of a recent life stressor in men and women exposed to the rhinovirus In the context of aging, the accumulation of stressors throughout life and the resulting chronic stress observed in aging adults is believed to greatly contribute to the weakening of the immune system and the development of chronic diseases To test the impact of life stressors on immunosenescence, Puterman et al.

followed healthy women aged 50—65 years over one year and measured leukocyte telomere length as a marker of aging immune cells. The authors report that for every life stressor in that year there was an incremental decrease in telomere length, and that this decrease was moderated by other modifiable risk factors such as diet, physical activity and sleep Other aspects of health such as digestive and brain health are equally affected by chronic stress.

Stress can impact the colonic motility and gut microbiota composition, reducing Lactobacilli counts and increasing adhesion of pathogenic bacteria In chronic gastrointestinal conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease IBD , evidence shows that stress alters intestinal mucosa permeability and increases inflammation, worsening outcomes of the disease Chronic stress has been strongly correlated with cardiovascular disease.

Finally, an obvious effect of stress is on affect and mood and using cognitive-behavioral stress management has shown the best evidence in reducing physiological stress, as measured by plasma cortisol levels Overall, research to date emphasizes the importance of managing physical and psychological stress to alleviate the burden on immune, digestive, and mental health.

Aging adults have higher exposure to the deleterious effects of stress due to the accumulation of lifelong stressors and therefore stress management is particularly important in this population. There is a general awareness of the rapidly aging global population and its impact on health, social and environmental systems.

Advances in medicine and science have enabled us to increase the average human lifespan by providing treatments for the most fatal diseases of old age such as cancer and heart disease. Nevertheless, living long is not always equal to living well. Hence, to reduce the burden of old age, the focus should be placed on the health span rather than the lifespan.

These targets have been shown to be involved in the aging process and to be modulated by dietary and lifestyle changes. Therefore, improving dietary patterns, promoting regular moderate physical activity, improving sleep quality, and reducing life stressors are likely to modulate the path of aging through their action on aging targets, namely energy metabolism, microbiota function, inflammation, and oxidative stress.

Finally, a holistic approach combining nutrition and lifestyle modifications is the optimal way to make an impact on the health span of older adults and thus improve their quality of life. The holistic approach should take into consideration the interplay between different factors such as socio-economic status, health and social service systems, physical and social environment, cultural, personal and behavioral determinants.

AK and LD-C performed the writing — original draft preparation. M-CF, M-NH, AH, PD, GB, NP, DZ, NB, and KV provided the critical scientific and intellectual inputs and critically revised the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This research was funded by Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Switzerland. The authors would like to acknowledge Christian Darimont, Sebastien Sultan, Julie Hudry-Labbe, Konstantinos Mantantzis, and Carine Blanchard from Nestle Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.

The authors declare that AK is a paid consultant to Société des Produits Nestlé and that all other authors are employees of Société des Produits Nestlé. The authors declare that this study received funding from Société des Produits Nestlé SA.

The funder had the following involvement in this review article: review design, data collection, decision to publish and preparation of the manuscript.

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers.

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Learn More About Nutrition. How to Make a Difference this Holiday Season with Meals on Wheels for This is Growing Old Colder weather is upon us, and that means that many older adults may be isolated at home.

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de Wilde MGE, Preitner N, Schneider N. Citation: Kassis A, Fichot M-C, Horcajada M-N, Horstman AMH, Duncan P, Bergonzelli G, Preitner N, Zimmermann D, Bosco N, Vidal K and Donato-Capel L Nutritional and lifestyle management of the aging journey: A narrative review.

Received: 02 November ; Accepted: 28 December ; Published: 24 January Copyright © Kassis, Fichot, Horcajada, Horstman, Duncan, Bergonzelli, Preitner, Zimmermann, Bosco, Vidal and Donato-Capel. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY.

The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author s and the copyright owner s are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

donato-capel rdls. com ; Amira Kassis, amira. kassis whiteboardnutritionscience. Export citation EndNote Reference Manager Simple TEXT file BibTex. Check for updates. Both beloved beverages contain antioxidants, which are known to boost the immune system.

In addition, these beverages are known to promote blood flow and could potentially increase life span. In addition to being good for you, there are also feel-good benefits to both coffee and red wine. As we age, our metabolism slows—a process that likely starts as early as the age of While healthy eating and exercise habits adopted early can help to combat weight gain associated with this slowing down of our system, another option is to be more mindful of when, and how, you structure your caloric intake.

Evidence is accumulating that eating in a 6-hour period and fasting for 18 hours commonly known today as intermittent fasting can trigger a metabolic switch from glucose-based to ketone-based energy, with increased stress resistance, increased longevity, and a decreased incidence of diseases, including cancer and obesity.

How you eat can also be as important as what you eat. Voci encourages the physical and psychological benefits of multi-generational food sourcing and preparation.

Choose whole, unprocessed foods Research shows that eating ultra-processed foods can speed up the aging of your cells.

Research suggests that what a person eats in their 20s and 30s can influence diseases and conditions they may develop as they age, which in turn determines how many healthy years of living they will enjoy.

Being aware of changes in our bodies as we age and responding to differing nutritional requirements as we get older is also important. Yet so many teens and young people drink more soda and less milk. Those who are vegan or vegetarian are also at risk of not consuming enough calcium and vitamin D as well as other vitamins.

McKay says research also shows that teens who consume high amounts of fruits and vegetables have less age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Changes in our bodies and our lifestyles as we age also influence what we should be eating, says McKay. Our muscle mass begins to decline as we age—not just in places that we can see like our arms and legs, but also in the muscles of our heart, gastrointestinal tract, and other areas that control the everyday workings of our body.

Our ability to absorb vitamin B12 in particular—which is important for brain health—also declines. Vitamin B12 is found in animal-based proteins. The ability to sense thirst declines with age, making the elderly more likely to suffer from dehydration. Consciously and regularly consuming water, fat-free milk, and foods with high liquid content—whether a person feels thirsty or not—becomes more vital for that reason.

The functions of our kidneys, liver, and pancreas also begin to decline as we age. The pancreas produces insulin and glucagon, which control blood sugar levels. Excess weight can lead to insulin resistance—and with the pancreas already producing less insulin due to increasing age, the result can be type 2 diabetes.

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For younger people the problem is traffic accidents or other risky behaviors. While research at different points over the past few decades has suggested possible health benefits of alcohol consumption, McKay says clear evidence that alcohol at any level has significant positive effects on health is lacking.

In contrast, there is clear evidence that excess consumption can contribute to increased risks of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems as well as cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.

The senses of taste and smell also decline as a person ages, often partly due to medications they may be taking, which can lead to an overall decrease in appetite and enjoyment of food. Increasing flavor becomes even more important to keep meals appealing.

Using more spices to replace salt, and more liquid vegetable oils and soft spreads low in saturated and trans-fat to replace butter and mayonnaise can keep meals flavorful—and healthy.

Dental problems can make it more difficult for older people to eat certain foods such as corn on the cob or chewy cuts of meats, requiring additional adjustments to how food is prepared. As people age, they see loved ones die and find themselves cooking for one rather than a family.

Feelings of isolation and depression creep in, which can make people less likely to want to prepare or eat nutritious meals. Water, tea, coffee, milk, and soups are all great options to help get enough fluid. Include a variety of herbs and spices in order to make meals interesting and enjoyable with different colors, flavors, and smells.

Use herbs and spices to reduce the need to add salt to food. As we get older and may be living alone, food can become less appealing and it is not uncommon to eat too little.

Many people can become bored with food over time and may start to eat less than they need. Keep food and meals interesting by trying new foods, recipes, cooking methods, or herbs and spices.

You can also use meals as a social time. Start a group of friends or family to have meals together once or twice per week.

Congregate or community meals can also be a great way to get out and enjoy the company of others. Contact these resources for help:. Wisconsin Elderly Nutrition Program — community dining and home delivered meals.

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Feedback, questions or accessibility issues: info extension. Skip to content Search for:. Share: Share on Facebook Share on X Twitter Share via Email Copy Link Copied! Learn the food groups Fruits and Vegetables Aim to fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables.

Protein foods help maintain strong muscles and keep you active. Eat whole grains regularly to get fiber and B vitamins from your diet. You May Also Like How to shop with SNAP benefits at Wisconsin's farmers markets Nutrition for newborns: birth to six months Helping toddlers try vegetables Feeding your baby from six to twelve months.

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