Maintaining a healthy weight is important at each stage of life, but it can be a little more difficult as an older adult due to the physiological changes that occur as you age.
The elderly often find it difficult to obtain enough calories and protein, which exposes them to weight loss and low body weight. Too low body weight can have a negative effect on your strength, energy level and quality of life.
To gain weight as an adult, you need to eat foods, snacks and drinks rich in nutrients, and possibly add weight gain supplements to what you already eat.
Dense calorie foods for weight gain
If you are an elderly person who needs to gain weight but you do not get enough calories, you can add calories to your diet thanks to nutritious snacks and small changes to meals.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends focus on nutrient foods from all the main food groups. Indeed, with regard to the types of food to increase your appetite, you will want to focus on the following elements, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
- Meat rich in protein: Chicken breast, chopped turkey, lean pork chops, salmon and lean beef.
- Complete dairy: Yogurt, cheese, milk and cottage cheese.
- Complex carbohydrates: Beans, peas, squash, potatoes, boulgour, farro, lentils, quinoa, brown rice and whole grain bread.
- Full of protein supplements: Protein powder and nutritional shakes (more on these below).
You can also add healthy and high -calorie extras to food you already like to help increase your calorie intake:
- The upper sides such as a copious salad with nuts, freshly grated cheese, sliced avocado and dried fruits.
- Eat copious snacks like whole grain crackers with cheese or peanut butter.
- Snack on small portions of non -salty nuts.
- Eat complete yogurt or dairy products with fruit garnishes.
- Add the popcorn topping, like grated cheese.
High calorie drinks for weight gain
The integration of high -calorie drinks in a daily routine can help the elderly gain weight. Good options for weight gain drinks include the following elements:
- Whole milk
- Protein -rich smoothies
- 100% juice
For example, if you drink 8 ounces (OZ) of whole milk (approximately 146 calories) at each meal, you will add 438 additional calories per day, according to the American department of agriculture (USDA).
Similarly, 8 oz of orange juice will provide 112 additional calories per meal, or around 336 calories per day, according to the USDA.
If you do a smoothie with protein powder, whole milk and yogurt, you can add up to 500 calories per day, depending on the type of protein you use and other smoothie ingredients.
Why it can be difficult for the elderly to gain weight
There are several reasons why it is more difficult for the elderly to gain weight and why they lose weight so easily.
As you get older, your appetite decreases and you tend to eat fewer calories than young people. In fact, research shows that calorie intake has the potential to decrease up to 500 to 700 calories per day between young adulthood and late life.
Some factors can affect the appetite and the weight of an elderly person. Chronic diseases and appetite assistance drugs (both more common in the elderly) can lead to a reduced appetite, according to Mount Sinai.
And in some cases, dental problems can make it difficult to chew or swallow food, which leads to less food intake, by Harvard Health Publishing.
Other factors can contribute to involuntary weight loss in the elderly:
- Depression
- Dementia (or memory loss and cognitive decline)
- A change of taste and smell
- Infection
- Some drugs
- Underlying disease (such as heart disease or Parkinson’s disease)
In the end, the human body is constantly evolving and age -related changes can considerably influence nutritional needs and appetite.
5 tips to increase appetite and weight gain in the elderly
If you or a loved one undergo an involuntary weight loss or a reduced appetite with age, there are a few actions that you can take.
1. Contact your doctor
To go to the bottom of your weight loss, the first step is to involve a doctor, according to Mayo Clinic. They can diagnose potential underlying health conditions and treat them correctly.
Your doctor can also help adjust your diet or change your medication if it causes a reduction in appetite. And if dental problems are the problem, a trip to the dentist could solve problems of discomfort or chewing.
2. stand on a meal calendar
One way to increase appetite and help weight gain is to stick to the meals calendar every day, according to the National Institute of Aging. This can be done thanks to meals preparing your own food, whether to have a loved one helps you or enjoy prepared meals or local community centers that serve meals.
You can also try to eat several small meals during the day to stimulate your appetite, rather than sit up to three large meals, by Mayo clinic. It can also help you get more calories overall.
3. Take a light exercise
A light to moderate exercise is a great way to increase appetite in the elderly. Even something like walking in the neighborhood every day can help.
By burning calories and stretching muscles through light exercises like walking or yoga, you are more likely to have an appetite throughout the day, according to Michigan State University.
4. Give meals (and taste) appetizing
It may be useful to keep the portions small so that they look easier to eat. With the approval of a doctor, you can also add spices and seasonings to make food more attractive.
Try to add new and nutritious fillings to your favorite foods and introduce tempting accompaniment dishes, such as cheese potatoes next to a broccoli and lean beef plate, for example.
The point to take away
- There are many different reasons for which the elderly have trouble gaining weight or losing too much weight as aging, including depression, cognitive decline, drugs and reduced appetite.
- There are ways to increase appetite, including food and drinks rich in calories that can help you gain weight.
- If you have trouble gaining weight or believe that you have an underlying health causing low body weight, talk to your doctor.
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