Identifying Elders at Risk of Malnutrition: A Universal Challenge
Assessing Nutritional Vulnerability in Older People in Developing Countries
Nutrient Based Dietary Guidelines for Older People
Food Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs)
Sarcopenia: Inevitable, But Treatable
B Vitamins, Homocysteine, Heart Disease and Cognitive Function
Calcium
Osteoporosis
Nutrition and Ageing in Africa
Diet, Nutrition, Lifestyle and Health in Older Chinese Adults
The Diabetes Epidemic in the Americas: Greater Risks for Older Persons
Energy Requirements & Physical Activity Levels of Older People in Cuba
Nutrition and Older Persons in Brazil: A HUMAN RIGHTS Perspective
Transcending the Generation Gap in Nutrition
Better Nutrition for Older People - Assessment and Action
IUNS - International Union of Nutrition Sciences
IDECG - International Dietary Energy Consultancy Group
ILSI (Southeast Asia) - International Life Sciences Institute
ILSI (Japan) - Third International Conference on Nutrition and Ageing
WHO - The Global Movement for Active Ageing
NUTRITION AND HEALTHY AGEING
|
The United Nations has designated 1999 the International Year of Older Persons. The ageing of the global population is one of the biggest challenges facing the world in the next century. In 1995 the number of people aged 60+ yrs increased by more than 12 million people - nearly 80% of this increase took place in developing countries. Less developed countries are ageing at a much greater rate than industrialized nations: it took 115 years for the older population of France to increase from 7 to 17% - the same change will occur in China in just 27 years! Some less developed countries, such as Colombia, Costa Rica, Liberia and Venezuela, are expected to have an increase of more than 200% in their older population in the next 25 years. In Zimbabwe, about 76% of the population over 60 are still economically active - and many engage in unpaid work such as childcare and agricultural work for the benefit of their families. Good health is a basic requirement if people are to continue to work as they age. If older people receive appropriate health care whenever It is necessary, they will be less likely to develop serious medical conditions which are more difficult to treat Ageing is Inevitable and irreversible - it is not a disease but a normal part of the life cycle which involves every dimension of our lives: physical, mental, social and spiritual. Policies, systems and structures need to be implemented now to establish programmes which support the health and welfare of our ageing population. These feature articles provide information on how to identify, assess, and provide nutrition advice both for elders at risk and for healthy ageing. The emerging issues of sarcopenia, and homocysteine and cognitive decline are examined, and an update on osteoporosis is summarized. Contributors from Africa, China, Brazil, Cuba and the Americas Region present material on diabetes, energy requirements, lifestyles, and human rights as they relate to the ageing process. "Who you are, we were; who we are, you will
be" |
The number of people 60+ years will increase from today's 590 million to 1.2 billion by the year 2025. The majority of older persons already live in developing countries, and their numbers will increase at faster rates than in the developed world. For countries like Indonesia, Colombia, Kenya and Thailand the Increase in population aged 60 and over will be more than 300% during the time period specified.
