02 October 2019, Cagayan de Oro City – The first week of October of every year is declared as Elderly Filipino Week pursuant to Proclamation No. 470, s. 1994. This was designed to promote the well-being of the elderly under the lead of Department of Social Welfare and Development. The 2019 Elderly Filipino Week theme “Healthy and Productive Aging Starts with Me” emphasizes the need to promote the health, wellness and productivity of senior citizens.
Good nutrition is important regardless of age. A healthy diet is the foundation of good health. It is a diet that is able to satisfy one’s energy and nutrient need for proper bodily functions, growth and development, including daily activities and maintenance of health. Further, it protects an individual against non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, stroke and cancer.
Nutritional status in various life stages may directly affect one’s productivity. Adequate nutrition, especially among the elderly, aids in the maintenance of health and in decreasing the onset of chronic diseases, contributes to vitality in everyday activity, to energy and mood and helps in maintaining functional independence.
Older people – 60 and up – are more susceptible to nutritional problems. In the Philippines, the 2018 National Nutrition Survey (NNS) result shows Chronic Energy Deficiency in elderly has significantly decreased to 13.4% but overweight (24.7%) and obesity (6.3%) is increasing. Android obesity, a case in obese individual in which the body’s extra fat gets distributed over the abdominal region of the body, in elderly also increased. Moreover, elevated blood pressure significantly declined but high fasting blood sugar increased to 13.8% from 11.0% in 2013.
Food guides were born out of researches conducted throughout the years. In 2016, the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology launched a food guide dubbed as Pinggang Pinoy for different age groups. Pinggang Pinoy is a healthy food plate showing the recommended proportion per food groups (GO, GROW and GLOW) in every meal.
The plate promotes the basic principles of nutrition—MODERATION, BALANCE and VARIETY. Pinggang Pinoy has additional healthy tips for the elderly: (1) to eat less of salty, fried, fatty and sugar-rich foods to prevent chronic diseases; (2) to understand nutrition information on product labels to make smart food choices; and (3) to stay physically active.
In addition, to prevent the onset of malnutrition in elderly, it is essential to give them foods that are rich in water soluble vitamins (vitamin C and B-complex). Whole grains, beans, nuts, fish, asparagus, meat, liver and milk are rich in Vitamin B complex and B1 or thiamine which can helps improve appetite, digestion, memory and strengthen the nervous system. Vitamin B12 can prevents dementia which are found in meats, liver, kidney, fish, eggs, milk and milk products, and seafoods e.g., oysters, shellfish. Consuming vitamin C-rich foods like citrus fruits is best to strengthen the immune system.
It is also important to drink plenty of liquids, preferably water, for adequate hydration, and to limit intake of sweetened and/or carbonated drinks to reduce the risk of obesity and tooth decay. The desirable amount of liquids is about 8-10 cups per day throughout the day (when part of the liquids can be consumed as food, like in soup) and a larger amount during hot weather or during strenuous efforts. Furthermore, consumption of at least one (1) glass of milk a day is recommended to prevent osteoporosis, reduce the risk of bone fracture and protein in milk repairs and rebuild muscles. To better absorb calcium, a dose of 15 minutes’ exposure to sunlight per day is recommended.
In preparing the foods for the elderly, aside giving focus to the nutritional aspects of their food, it is also important to consider other specific concern that may hinder food consumption such as difficulty of chewing or swallowing. Hence, it is best to prepare meals that are soft and easy to chew and swallow and are chopped into "bite-size" pieces (no larger than 1-inch) like veggie puree soup. Also, family members and/or caregivers may consider the kind of foods they wish to eat and ensure that food preparation is safe and clean to avoid contamination and food poisoning.
Family members and/or caregivers should be sensitive to the individual needs and limitations of the elderly since, as we get older our bodies have different needs, so certain nutrients become especially important for good health. Thus, it is important to consult a registered nutritionist-dietitian or any health care provider regarding their energy and nutrient needs, especially for individuals with specific health conditions which would need a further detailed and computed therapeutic diet. (NO I Arlie Joy O. Damiles)
