What are the primary reasons for lack of appetite among the elderly?

Lack of appetite is a common problem among the elderly, which significantly affects their health and vitality. Detecting and treating the problem as early as possible is very important for ensuring a good quality of life.

A reduction in appetite can be caused by the combination of a number of processes:

First, aging is often accompanied by a natural decrease in the senses of taste and smell, thereby reducing the stimulating effect of food. As people experience less sensation when eating familiar foods, they become less likely to eat even their favorite dishes.

In addition, a rapid onset of satiety and the slow gastric emptying lead to a decrease in the amount of food eaten at each meal and longer breaks between meals.

Concurrently, with the decrease in daily activity in general among the elderly, particularly in physical activity, the body’s total muscle mass drops significantly, which leads to a reduction in energy requirements.

The medications consumed by the elderly can also influence appetite. Chronic illnesses, such as high cholesterol and diabetes can lead to the avoidance of certain foods. Severe illnesses can also affect the amount of food consumed, as can swallowing problems and dental problems, such as poorly fitted dentures. It’s important to note that depression and social isolation can also influence the appetite of the elderly.

Importance of Nutritional Treatment

There are many significant implications of appetite reduction among the elderly. Untreated lack of appetite may lead to nutritional shortages and malnutrition, underweight, fatigue, weakness, problems with day-to-day functions, increased risk of falling, and harm to the immune system.

Therefore, it is very important to locate and treat the problem as early as possible.

Recommended Treatment

First, it is imperative to consult with certified professional experts such as dieticians and physicians specializing in the field.

Concurrently, you can use designated high-calorie and high-protein liquid formulas that are easy to use and/or powdered nutritional enrichment products to ensure a diet with adequate levels of calories and protein. When necessary, you can also add multivitamins for the elderly.

Easy line produces a number of nutritionally-complete liquid formulas with a balanced composition and rich in calories and protein, to enrich or replace the patient’s daily menu.

These include: Easy Meal-k2, Easy Drink, Easy Fiber and Easy Daily.

Furthermore, Easy Line produces nutritional solutions in powder form that can be mixed with various foods in a person’s regular menu.

These include: Easy Shake, Mid-day, Easy Whey, Easy Calorie, and Anin.