Leslie Wilma, Hankey Catherine
Human Nutrition, School of Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G31 2ER, UK.
Healthcare (Basel). 2015 Jul 30;3(3):648-58. doi: 10.3390/healthcare3030648.
The older population is increasing worldwide and in many countries older people will outnumber younger people in the near future. This projected growth in the older population has the potential to place significant burdens on healthcare and support services. Meeting the diet and nutrition needs of older people is therefore crucial for the maintenance of health, functional independence and quality of life. While many older adults remain healthy and eat well those in poorer health may experience difficulties in meeting their nutritional needs. Malnutrition, encompassing both under and over nutrition increases health risks in the older population. More recently the increase in obesity, and in turn the incidence of chronic disease in older adults, now justifies weight management interventions in obese older adults. This growing population group is becoming increasingly diverse in their nutritional requirements. Micro-nutrient status may fluctuate and shortfalls in vitamin D, iron and a number of other nutrients are relatively common and can impact on well-being and quality of life. Aging presents a number of challenges for the maintenance of good nutritional health in older adults.
全球老年人口正在增加，在许多国家，老年人口数量在不久的将来将超过年轻人。预计老年人口的这种增长有可能给医疗保健和支持服务带来巨大负担。因此，满足老年人的饮食和营养需求对于维持健康、功能独立性和生活质量至关重要。虽然许多老年人保持健康且饮食良好，但健康状况较差的老年人可能在满足营养需求方面遇到困难。营养不良，包括营养不足和营养过剩，都会增加老年人群的健康风险。最近，肥胖症的增加以及随之而来的老年人慢性病发病率的上升，使得对肥胖老年人进行体重管理干预变得合理。这个不断增长的人群在营养需求方面越来越多样化。微量营养素状况可能会波动，维生素D、铁和其他一些营养素的缺乏相对普遍，会影响幸福感和生活质量。衰老给老年人维持良好的营养健康带来了诸多挑战。
