A high incidence of malnutrition among older people has led to a call for national dietary guidelines for those at risk. 

This follows reports and that as many as one in two older people may have an insufficient diet, and that 68% of people in aged care are either malnourished or at risk of malnourishment. The issue has been addressed in the ABC program, Maggie Beer's Big Mission.

Karly Bartrim, the aged care interest group convenor at Dietitians Australia, told the ABC that there was currently no mandatory malnutrition screening in aged care. 

“Malnutrition is so prevalent in aged care but dietitians are only being involved when there’s weight loss, which is often a flow-on effect," she said.

“If we were included earlier we could prevent that weight loss from occurring.”

Dietitians Australia notes that malnutrition is known to:

• Increase the risk of falls and pressure injuries

• Increase hospital admissions

• Have adverse outcomes on mortality rates.

Judi Porter, a professor in dietetics at Deakin University, said symptoms of malnutrition are sometimes mistaken for “normal” signs of ageing. 

She said people with dementia were at particular risk and it was difficult to establish whether they have eaten. 

“If a family member asks what you had for lunch you might just say, ‘A sandwich’ because you had a sandwich for the last 80 years but perhaps you didn’t actually have the sandwich,” she told the ABC. 

Physical barriers to older people eating properly include ill-fitting dentures and dysphagia, which is difficulty in swallowing.

Grief, clinical depression, and loneliness can also be factors in a poor diet. 

Signs of malnutrition include: 

• Loss of 5-10% of body weight over three to six months

• Drops in energy levels and cognitive function

• Loss of muscle mass

• A weaker immune system and wounds that take a long time to heal.

The good news is that a healthy diet for older people can incude foods we all enjoy – including ice cream.

Dietitians recommend a diet including:

• Red meat, fish and chicken or if following a plant-based diet seeds, legumes and nuts

• Eggs

• Full cream dairy products such as milk, yoghurt, custard, ice cream, and cheese

• Margarine or butter

• Oil

• Pastries and chips.

Related articles: Connect , ABC, Dietitians Australia

Related viewing: Maggie Beer’s Big Mission