5 Major Consequence of Improper Diet in Seniors

Though poor dietary habits are harmful for everyone, when it comes to elderly, it can be even worse. Here are 5 major negative consequence of malnutrition in seniors.

Eat healthy, stay healthy!

You might have heard it before. A proper diet plays a vital role in your lifestyle. Many people think about their diet in their younger years. But as you grow older, it can become easily overlooked. This leads to malnutrition!

Basically, it involves a deficiency of the main nutritional components, including carbohydrates, vitamins, protein, and minerals. While there are many risks of not having a healthy diet, things can turn critical with as you age!

Below are five effects and consequences of malnutrition in the seniors.

Vision Loss and Common Disorders Affecting Eyes:

With a lower intake of vitamin A, lutein, antioxidants and protein, this can lead to many vision disorders. And this frequently affects the elderly!

Malnutrition speeds up vision loss caused by glaucoma, cataracts or diabetic retinopathy. It is advised to eat green vegetables and fresh tomatoes for vision eye health.

Weaken The Bones and Joints in Elderly:

Most elderly deal with low bone density and poor bone architecture. If there is deficiency of certain nutrients, it can lead to severe problems. For example; a low intake of calcium and protein can weaken the bones and the joints. In fact, it can lead to osteoporosis and arthritis. Osteoporosis, a low bone density disease which is caused due to a lack of calcium in the bones can dramatically increase the chances of bone fractures. Generally, older women are susceptible to osteoporosis as their levels of estrogen decreases after menopause.

Increases The Vulnerability Of Viral or Bacterial Infections:

The deficiency of nutrients directly hits the immune system. It is the creation of white blood cells in the bone marrow which helps identifying harmful bacteria and viruses. Low intake of protein, vitamins or minerals causes seniors to suffer from severe infections which are definitely difficult to treat with antibiotics. With the production of immune cells in the bone marrow getting reduced, elderly are prone to a varieties of infections. It is a big reason why they need higher doses of antibiotics and special care during infections.

Susceptible To Degenerative Disorders Affecting The Brain:

You might have heard of Alzheimer’s disease, right? Though no proper cause is known for this problem, inflammation in certain brain areas is caused due to amyloid accumulations and loss of acetylcholine neurons. Poor nutrition may not cause it directly, but it can accelerate the loss of neurons in the brain and impair memory. Thus, it is often recommended to have a proper intake of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Cancer is More Frequently Encountered:

Do you know cancer develops when the immune system fails to recognize and destroy abnormal cell growth? While malnutrition lowers the activity and reduces the number of immune cells it increases the chance of cancer. With adequate support of the immune system, healthier food choices, and less impact of chronic stress on the body will limit the exposure to pollutants and toxic foods preservatives.

It's very important for seniors to have a proper diet. Be sure not to overlook such a vital part of your elder's health.