Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Older People

Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Older People - A Background Paper

Date of publication: June 1996

Older people are one of the most nutritionally neglected groups of our society. They have many special dietary needs, often affected by changes in social and economic factors. New Zealand has an ageing population and it is important that optimum health is maintained throughout life.

This background paper, written by Dr Caroline Horwath, senior lecturer in human nutrition at the University of Otago has been used to support Eating Well for Healthy Older People which was published by the Public Health Commission (PHC) in June 1993 and which is reprinted as Appendix 3 of this paper.

These guidelines recommend that healthy older people:

eat a variety of foods
keep active and maintain a healthy weight
choose foods low in fat, sugar and salt
have plenty to drink
go easy on alcohol
make mealtime a social time — where possible.

Sample diets for older people are listed in Appendix 2. Appendix 1 contains some Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs) for men aged 64 years and over and women aged 54 years and over.

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