The functions of various organs in the human body gradually weaken with age. As people grow older, their digestion and absorption abilities also decline, naturally resulting in a decreased appetite. So how can older adults ensure the quality of their diet when their food intake is reduced?
1: Reduce cholesterol intake
Maintaining cardiovascular health and ensuring energy and physical vigor in old age is an important dietary principle. This involves reducing cholesterol intake to prevent blood vessel aging. Excessive cholesterol accelerates arterial sclerosis in older adults and increases the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, it is important to choose foods carefully while maintaining a normal body weight.
Specific measures include: strictly limiting the consumption of high-cholesterol foods, such as various animal fats (excluding duck and fish oil), animal organ foods, egg yolks, fish roe, squid, crabs, butter, cream, and sweets like chocolate; avoiding excessive salt intake; and choosing plant oils (excluding coconut oil) with relatively higher content of unsaturated fatty acids. These oils also contain vitamin E, which promotes vascular health and fights aging.
2: Limit total energy intake
As people enter middle age, their basal metabolic rate gradually decreases and their physical activity decreases, resulting in a 10-20% decrease in energy supply compared to younger adults. Under normal circumstances, the body's energy needs should match its appetite. When the normal appetite is satisfied, energy requirements are generally met and body weight remains stable. The body's energy comes from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. 1 gram of carbohydrates or protein produces 16.74 kilojoules (4 kilocalories) of heat energy, while 1 gram of fat produces 37.66 kilojoules (9 kilocalories) of heat energy.
For older adults with normal body weight, the approximate energy requirements for each season are as follows: 7640 kilojoules in spring, 7642 kilojoules in summer, 7315 kilojoules in autumn, and 7370 kilojoules in winter. According to traditional Chinese dietary habits, carbohydrates should provide 60-70% of the total energy, fats should provide 20-25%, and proteins should provide 10-15%. If the diet contains too much carbohydrates and too little fats, the volume of the diet will increase. This not only causes hunger but also increases the consumption of B vitamins and affects the normal absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. If the fat content is too high and the carbohydrate content is too low, it may lead to diseases such as coronary heart disease, colon cancer, and breast cancer. Insufficient protein can also affect overall health, while excessive protein can increase the burden on the liver and kidneys. Therefore, it is extremely important to properly allocate the sources of energy in daily diet.
3: Limit total fat intake
High-fat foods are high in energy and can be stored in the body, but few people suffer from diseases due to a lack of fat. However, excessive fat intake can easily lead to various age-related diseases, such as high cholesterol, high lipid levels, organ tissue carcinogenesis, and digestive disorders. High-fat diets low in plant fiber weaken gastrointestinal motility, prolonging the retention time of feces in the body and exacerbating the pathogenic effects of exogenous and endogenous toxins.
The main sources of fat in the diet are cooking oils, meat, cream, butter, etc. The total fat intake should not exceed 25% of the total food intake, with less than 1 gram per kilogram of body weight per day being ideal. For individuals who are overweight or obese, fat intake should be further restricted.
4: Pay attention to protein supply
Protein is the most important nutrient and its basic unit is amino acids. It is involved in almost all normal physiological activities in the human body. Protein is the material basis of life, and without protein, there is no life. Many older adults have mild protein deficiencies, which can manifest as anemia, decreased disease resistance, impaired regulation of the nervous and endocrine systems, muscle tissue degeneration, and reduced enzyme activity. These symptoms are often overshadowed by the aging process and do not receive enough attention.
The total protein intake for older adults should generally not be lower than that of middle-aged adults, with a recommended intake of 1-1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. The main sources of protein are meat, seafood, eggs, legumes, and fresh milk. Due to poor absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, older adults should primarily consume high-quality complete proteins and semi-complete proteins, such as animal proteins and legume proteins, in their daily diet to meet the body's protein needs.
