Published June 26, 2023

Have you ever heard your aging loved ones say things such as, “I’m not hungry,” or “That is not appetizing to me anymore”? Aging can significantly impact our eating habits, but there are many ways we can modify our diets to be balanced, nutritious, and delicious!

Changes in Eating with Age

As we get older, we may have a tendency to eat less and/or choose different foods than what we used to eat before. Reasons for changes in eating habits as we age include, but are not limited to (Yada, 2023):

• Change in appetite (increase or decrease)
• Loss of muscle and functional status (ability to eat and cook foods)
• Presence of illness and disease (more dietary restrictions)
• Change in digestion, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients
• Social environment (the who, when, and where we eat)
• Change in taste (certain tastes can be heightened or dulled)

Other factors that may affect the way we eat include marital status, income, education, socioeconomic status, diet-related attitudes and beliefs, and convenience (Drewnowski, Shultz, 2001)

Oftentimes, societal pressures may push us to believe that “healthy eating” should be about sacrificing the foods we enjoy or taking on extreme diets. However, healthy eating should be about enjoying tasty food, using wholesome ingredients, and eating in the company of friends and family. Once we take the steps necessary to improve our diet, we can subsequently live longer and stronger by improving our physical health, sharpening our minds, and feeling better overall through good moods and self-esteem  (Robinson, Segal, 2023).

Making Our Favorite Foods More Nutritious

Many of our favorite Japanese and Japanese American foods have hidden nutrients and vitamins that we may not even know are there. There are also alternative ways to make these meals even more delicious and nutritious (Yada, 2023):

Healthy Eating for Older Adults — It’s a Team Effort

Whether you are a family member, friend, or health care professional, there are many ways we can support the older adults in our lives with their food choices. We can encourage people to experiment with different food textures to find creative ways that are acceptable, appealing, and enjoyable for older adults — especially those who have difficulties chewing or swallowing. It is also important to practice proper food safety when it comes to handling the food and ingredients that we buy (DeSilva, 2021; FoodSafety.gov, 2022).

The social aspect surrounding food is a key ingredient in enhancing the ways that we enjoy eating. Sitting down for a meal with our family members, cooking a traditional family meal together, or delivering food and having a conversation can go a long way to make a meal more meaningful.

Thank you to Kristine Yada, MS, RDN, for providing information and insight for this article.