Nutrition and Healthy Aging: Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases
Nutritional well-being is a fundamental aspect for the health, autonomy and, therefore, the quality of life of all people, but especially of the elderly. It is estimated that at least half of non-institutionalized elderly people need nutritional intervention to improve their health and that 85% have...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/12/4337 |
| _version_ | 1797501858711863296 |
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| author | Neri Maria Cristina d’Alba Lucia |
| author_facet | Neri Maria Cristina d’Alba Lucia |
| author_sort | Neri Maria Cristina |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nutritional well-being is a fundamental aspect for the health, autonomy and, therefore, the quality of life of all people, but especially of the elderly. It is estimated that at least half of non-institutionalized elderly people need nutritional intervention to improve their health and that 85% have one or more chronic diseases that could improve with correct nutrition. Although prevalence estimates are highly variable, depending on the population considered and the tool used for its assessment, malnutrition in the elderly has been reported up to 50%. Older patients are particularly at risk of malnutrition, due to multiple etiopathogenetic factors which can lead to a reduction or utilization in the intake of nutrients, a progressive loss of functional autonomy with dependence on food, and psychological problems related to economic or social isolation, e.g., linked to poverty or loneliness. Changes in the aging gut involve the mechanical disintegration of food, gastrointestinal motor function, food transit, intestinal wall function, and chemical digestion of food. These alterations progressively lead to the reduced ability to supply the body with adequate levels of nutrients, with the consequent development of malnutrition. Furthermore, studies have shown that the quality of life is impaired both in gastrointestinal diseases, but especially in malnutrition. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of malnutrition in elderly people is necessary to promote the knowledge of age-related changes in appetite, food intake, homeostasis, and body composition in order to better develop effective prevention and intervention strategies to achieve healthy aging. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:24:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b1ff55bae73d4891917c062f19a03e93 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:24:40Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-b1ff55bae73d4891917c062f19a03e932023-11-23T09:56:19ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-11-011312433710.3390/nu13124337Nutrition and Healthy Aging: Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal DiseasesNeri Maria Cristina0d’Alba Lucia1Division of Gastroenterology, Geriatric Institute Pio Albergo Trivulzio, 20146 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, 00149 Rome, ItalyNutritional well-being is a fundamental aspect for the health, autonomy and, therefore, the quality of life of all people, but especially of the elderly. It is estimated that at least half of non-institutionalized elderly people need nutritional intervention to improve their health and that 85% have one or more chronic diseases that could improve with correct nutrition. Although prevalence estimates are highly variable, depending on the population considered and the tool used for its assessment, malnutrition in the elderly has been reported up to 50%. Older patients are particularly at risk of malnutrition, due to multiple etiopathogenetic factors which can lead to a reduction or utilization in the intake of nutrients, a progressive loss of functional autonomy with dependence on food, and psychological problems related to economic or social isolation, e.g., linked to poverty or loneliness. Changes in the aging gut involve the mechanical disintegration of food, gastrointestinal motor function, food transit, intestinal wall function, and chemical digestion of food. These alterations progressively lead to the reduced ability to supply the body with adequate levels of nutrients, with the consequent development of malnutrition. Furthermore, studies have shown that the quality of life is impaired both in gastrointestinal diseases, but especially in malnutrition. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of malnutrition in elderly people is necessary to promote the knowledge of age-related changes in appetite, food intake, homeostasis, and body composition in order to better develop effective prevention and intervention strategies to achieve healthy aging.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/12/4337healthy agingmalnutritiongastrointestinal diseases |
| spellingShingle | Neri Maria Cristina d’Alba Lucia Nutrition and Healthy Aging: Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases Nutrients healthy aging malnutrition gastrointestinal diseases |
| title | Nutrition and Healthy Aging: Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases |
| title_full | Nutrition and Healthy Aging: Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases |
| title_fullStr | Nutrition and Healthy Aging: Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nutrition and Healthy Aging: Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases |
| title_short | Nutrition and Healthy Aging: Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases |
| title_sort | nutrition and healthy aging prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases |
| topic | healthy aging malnutrition gastrointestinal diseases |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/12/4337 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nerimariacristina nutritionandhealthyagingpreventionandtreatmentofgastrointestinaldiseases AT dalbalucia nutritionandhealthyagingpreventionandtreatmentofgastrointestinaldiseases |