EU project calls on Member States to develop nutrition policy for seniors
EU Member States must develop nutrition policies for the elderly, believes Italian ageing expert, Stefania Maggi, whose EU project has revealed bad dietary patterns in different EU countries, leading to cardiovascular diseases, cancer and osteoporosis in the elderly. Speaking at a workshop on nutrition and ageing organised by the European Commission in Brussels on 29 November, Dr Maggi warned that there is increasing evidence of malnutrition in the elderly closely being linked to loss of independence. 'Primary care plays a major role in this state of affairs,' said Dr Maggi. 'General practitioners across the EU must emphasise the importance of nutrition to their elderly patients.' The NUTRAGE project (Nutrition and Age), funded under the Fifth Framework Programme, brought together six partners from Greece, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland. The aim of the project was to identify data sources on nutrition in the elderly, in particular relating to dietary habits, malnutrition, and prevalence rates of the main chronic conditions related to dietary habits (cardiovascular diseases, cancer and osteoporosis). Furthermore, NUTRAGE aimed to identify the key factors determining the nutritional status of the elderly in different European countries. Researchers examined health status, lifestyle, cultural and environmental factors. With this information, NUTRAGE then defined the possible variables that can contribute to better identifying the risk profile of seniors (biological markers, functional limitations), as well as the role of health policy makers in promoting information and knowledge on nutrition and dietary recommendations. The project found a marked deficiency in calcium and vitamin D intake relative to the European recommended daily amount (RDA) in the senior population of all six countries studied. Furthermore, elderly people living in nursing homes or institutions were often found to be at risk of protein and energy malnutrition. This is due to problems in chewing and swallowing, poor appetite, depression and the tendency to distribute the meal in several parts consumed during the day, explained Dr Maggi. 'Malnutrition inevitably leads to diseases and disabilities,' added Dr Maggi. 'With an increasing number of elderly Europeans living in nursing homes, there is an urgent need to address this issue. Yet, of the six countries studied, only Sweden and the Netherlands have programmes for nutrition and the elderly,' deplored Dr Maggi. 'Both countries are now carrying out research on the efficiency of the supply of nutrient-dense food and energy-rich diets for elderly people living in nursing homes.' 'I call on all the other European countries to follow suit and carry out more intervention studies,' concluded Dr Maggi
Countries
Greece, Spain, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden