Older Americans need to make every calorie count

摘要

As individuals age, their declining energy needs mean they must eat better while eating less. USDA food consumption survey data indicate that most older Americans are having trouble fitting the recommended number of daily food group servings into their decreased "calorie budgets." While the basic nutrition advice in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Food Guide Pyramid applies to healthy adults of all ages, the elderly face some special challenges, particularly declining energy (calorie)needs as metabolism slows down. For some older adults, decreased physical activity may further reduce energy needs, although the Dietary Guidelines emphasize that healthy seniors, just like younger adults, should be physically active each day. Because the amount of food they can eat while maintaining calorie balance is more limited than when they were younger, older individuals, must choose wisely, selecting nutrient-dense foods and limiting "extras." To help older adults and others visualize what thismeans, researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University created an "elderly pyramid" that is narrower than the Food Guide Pyramid for the general population (see box). The more narrow shape of the elderly pyramid indicates that most individuals age 70 and older should choose the smaller numbers of servings within the range recommended by the Food Guide Pyramid.