Several changes are observed as people age. As time goes by, the elderly urinate often, prefer to eat alone than with family or circle of friends, refuse meals, forget to drink water, and have altered taste buds. Some physical changes observed include the skin slowly becomes thin and less elastic, and wrinkles and age spots become more visible. As for musculoskeletal changes, bones are inclined to be weak, thin, and porous. It is observed that the elderly’s strength, balance, endurance, and stability are less compared to adolescence. For cardiovascular changes, the capability of the heart to beat is not as fast as before and blood vessels start to be stiff.
With the mentioned changes, the older population is more vulnerable to malnutrition and degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, diabetes, and cancer. These conditions may be associated with the poor lifestyle of the individual during the early years; however, all these diseases can be modified through a proper diet.
To assist all Filipinos to practice proper nutrition, the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) established the Daily Nutritional Guide Pyramid in 2000 and Pinggang Pinoy in 2016.
The Daily Nutritional Guide Pyramid represents what the elderly should consume in a day. The older population must consume a) 4 1/2 to 6 servings of rice and rice products, b) 2 servings of fruits, c) 3 servings of vegetables, d) 2/3 to 3/4 glass of milk and milk products, e) an egg, f) 3 servings of fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, dried beans and nuts, f) 4 to 6 teaspoons of sugar or sweets, g) 2 to 5 teaspoons of fats and oils and h) 6 to 8 glasses of water or beverages every day.
In addition, it is recommended to exercise regularly to maintain or achieve a healthy weight, limit ingestion of salty foods, and restrict consumption of alcoholic beverages to less than 2 glasses a day.
Pinggang Pinoy equates to the recommended proportion intake for each basic food group per meal. The older population are expected to have the following on their plate a) 1/3 of a plate or 33% are Go foods or energy-giving foods such as bread, rice, pasta, and root crops, b) 1/6 of a plate or 17% of Grow foods or muscle-building foods and c) 1/2 of plate or 50% Glow foods or divided to 17% fruits and 33% vegetables.
In this time of the pandemic, care for the elderly must be ensured to minimize the risk of exposure since they are considered a vulnerable group due to physiological changes and underlying conditions. The optimum nutrition of the elderly through healthy, active aging is a collaborative work of the elderly, the family, and the community! NKSLoyola
