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Elderly people face unique nutritional challenges.  Whereas their appetite and physical mobility may be diminished by age, their bodies still require as many nutrients as younger adults do. An appropriate diet balances a variety of food choices adequate to meet nutritional and caloric needs. The food guide pyramid is helpful to guide food selection and daily serving totals. An fgp specifically for those over 70 years of age recommends 1200 – 1600 calories per day from whole grain foods, a variety of coloured fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy products (though it has to be said that the jury is still out on the harmful effects of saturated fats), lean meats, fish and poultry with eight glasses of fluid daily. Some experts recommend the addition of calcium supplements and the one-a-day type of multi-vitamin tablet, but other health food supplements are not generally needed and can be very expensive for those on fixed incomes.

Diet appears to be important for longevity.  Between 1988 and 1991, data were collected from 800 people aged 70 and over, from countries/cultures experiencing longevity, swedes, greeks, australians (greeks and anglo-celts) and japanese.  These were followed up for 5 – 7 years to determine survival.  Diet is also associated with the lower prevalence of obesity among elderly people living in the mediterranean islands, and can be utilised for the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure.

The mediterranean diet in particular appears to have many health benefits.  Adherence to such a diet was studied in nine different European countries in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (epic).  Examination of the data reveals that a 60 year old man who adheres to a mediterranean diet can expect to live a year longer than a 60 year old who does not.  The mediterranean diet is characterized by a high intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits, and cereals; a moderate to high intake of fish; a low intake of saturated fats but high intake of unsaturated fats, particularly olive oil; and a modest intake of alcohol, mostly as wine.  The study involved over 74000 healthy men and women, aged 60 or more, living in nine European countries.

The diet resembles in many respects the Low Glycaemic Index (GI) diet advocated by authors such as Patrick Holford, and indeed the writer can confirm that he and his wife lost over six stones (40 + kilograms) using such a diet, and by keeping to this way of eating, the weight has not been regained.

Diet is also associated with lowered Alzheimer’s risk. A delay in brain decay can be achieved by eating lots of fruit, nuts, vegetables, and beans, and by cutting back on meats.

Eating a mediterranean diet can be beneficial for many reasons, including lowering the risk of cognitive decline, lower cholestrol, and reduced heart and blood vessel problems.  And don’t forget cost – dried lentils are much cheaper than red meat and vastly better for you !

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• More reasons to eat the Mediterranean way (after-cancer.com)
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• Mediterranean Diet: Ingredients for a Heart-Healthy Eating Approach (eon.businesswire.com)
• Saturated Fat is NOT the Cause of Heart Disease (findmeacure.com)