The nutrition of elderly people. Department of Health.

At head of t.p.: Department of Health and Social Security.

Membership of the Working Group;- 1. Summary of the report and recommendations:- Summary of the report--Recommendations to maintain good nutritional status in elderly people--Recommendations for investigation and research--2. Introduction:- Terms of reference of the Working Group and meetings --Demographic trends--Definitions--Abbreviations--3. Background:- Previous nutrition surveys of elderly people in Britain -- The Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults--Dietary Reference Values for food energy and nutrients--4. Energy and physical activity:- Dietary energy requirements--Energy expenditure--Basal metabolic rate--Dietary energy intake--Effect of declining energy intake on the nutritional adequacy of the diet--Physical activity of elderly people--Recommendations--5. Assessment of body size and composition in elderly people: changes with age and significance for health:- The assessment of skeletal size--Body composition in elderly people--Overweight--Underweight--Recommendations--6. Nutrients: Carbohydrates and protein:- Carbohydrates--Dietary sugars--Complex carbohydrates--Protein--Recommendations--7. Nutrients: Vitamins:- Vitamin A--Thiamin--Riboflavin--Vitamin B12--Folate--Vitamin C--Vitamin E--Fruit and vegetables--Recommendations-- 8. Nutrients: Minerals:- Magnesium--Iron--Zinc--Copper--Selenium--Recommendations--9. Nutrition and vascular disease in later life:- Diet and plasma lipids--Damage to the arterial wall and thrombosis--Diet and blood pressure--The prevention of vascular disease--Recommendations--10. Nutrition and bone health in elderly people:- Osteoporosis--Calcium--Vitamin D--Fluoride--Recommendations--11. Nutrition and cancer:- Epidemiology--Free radicals and lipid peroxidation--Diet and cancer--Recommendations--12. The impact of ill health on the nutrition of elderly people:- Ill health and reduced food intake--Altered physical activity in the sick--Energy and nutrient cost of metabolic disturbances of illness--Nutritional status of elderly patients--Recommendations--13. References.

The right diet is important for maintaining health and well-being in elderly people. This report makes recommendations for maintaining good nutritional status in elderly people and should be of interest to anyone giving advice to this age group.