Finding your appetite
‘Anorexia of aging’ is a problem for some older adults. Here are 10 ways to address it
Joyce Hendley
Harvard Health Publishing
Appetite tends to decline as you get older, and in many ways, that makes sense: calorie needs tend to decrease as metabolism slows, and people tend to become less active as they age.
“It’s not a cause for concern if you’re eating regular meals and your weight is stable,” says Heather Bell-Temin, a senior nutritionist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
But a chronic loss of appetite is a different story. When a lack of interest in food leads to skipping meals day after day, the result can be unintentional weight loss — generally defined as losing more than 5% of your weight in a month without trying. That increases your risk of falling short of the nutrients your body needs.
A key concern is sarcopenia, or loss of muscle mass, says Tina Reilly, director of nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston.
“That can lead to participating less in general activities of daily living, like walking, moving and cooking,” Reilly says.
As many as 25% of older adults experience what researchers call “anorexia of aging” — an ongoing decline in appetite linked with falls, greater frailty and lowered immunity.
Luckily, there are many ways to rekindle a weak appetite. If you continue to have a poor appetite and unintentional weight loss despite these measures, talk to your doctor about medications that can stimulate your appetite.
1 Talk to your doctor
Sometimes a poor appetite stems from an underlying health condition, a medication side effect, difficulty chewing or swallowing or depression — many of which are readily treatable and should be ruled out.
2 Eat smaller, more frequent meals
Three large meals a day can feel daunting when your appetite is low. Try spreading your eating across five or six smaller meals or snacks throughout the day. This approach can feel less overwhelming and may help your body settle into a regular rhythm of hunger cues.
3 Eat when you’re hungriest
If morning is the time you feel the most hunger, “make your breakfast larger to take advantage of that,” Bell-Temin says. That gives you more freedom to ease back at those times of day when you have less appetite.
4 Prioritize protein
“Although calorie needs can decrease as we age, protein needs actually increase,” says Reilly, as adequate protein is vital for preserving muscles.
Try to include protein at every meal and plan protein-rich snacks like cheese and crackers, hummus or nuts. Make sure your fridge and pantry are stocked with “easy proteins” like hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter, cheese, cooked chicken or turkey and canned beans and tuna.
5 Make every bite count
“If you’re only able to take in a small amount of food, make sure to maximize the calories and nutrients for the effort you’re making,” Bell-Temin says.
For example:
- Upgrade your morning toast and jam with some peanut butter.
- Switch from low-fat yogurt to full-fat.
- Prepare your oatmeal and potatoes with milk instead of water.
- Choose hearty soups like bean or broccoli-cheddar over broth-based ones.
- Add calorie boosters to dishes: Drizzle olive oil on vegetables, toss shredded cheese or pesto with pasta, or blend nut butter into a smoothie.
6 Drink some of your calories
“Liquid calories tend to move more quickly through the stomach and can often be easier for someone with a poor appetite,” Bell-Temin says. Smoothies, liquid meal supplements, or even a puree-based soup might fill the bill; try adding them between meals or as an evening snack, rather than trying to include them with a regular meal.
7 Move more
Even a short, gentle walk around the block (or even around the house) before a meal is a natural appetite stimulant, as it signals to the body that it’s time to eat. Older adults who become sedentary tend to feel less hungry, so building movement into the day, even in small bursts, can make a real difference.
8 Stimulate your senses
Enhancing the sensory pleasure of your meals can help boost a weak appetite, so take the time to set the table nicely, put on some music or even put flowers on the table, Reilly says. “Enjoy the smell, sound, sight, and taste of your favorite foods.”
9 Make meals more social
“Convivial meals boost connection, conversation, and shared dining experiences, which can lead to strengthening social bonds,” Reilly says. “This is an important consideration, given that loneliness can suppress appetite.” If getting together in person is difficult, look into shared dining experiences such as community dining programs at local senior centers and churches. Another idea: make a regular “meal date” via a video conference call with loved ones. 1
10 Ease up on dietary ‘don’ts’
It might be hard to go against years of dietary guidance to cut fat or avoid sugars, but unless you have health issues requiring dietary constraints, “it’s not a time to restrict your diet,” Reilly says. Leading guidelines on healthy aging recommend more liberal diets, she explains, “to increase enjoyment and appetite, and to ensure calorie needs are met.”
RFK Jr. pushes measles vaccine, blames cases on Fauci
Emily R. Condon
USA Today Network
Amid a record-breaking measles outbreak and days after former Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared before a Senate committee, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. encouraged Americans to get the MMR vaccine ahead of back-to-school season and blamed COVID-19 lockdowns for the measles cases.
On Sunday, Kennedy joined CNN for a conversation largely marked with personal attacks and scientific debate about studies that may or may not link vaccines to autism.
“You probably don’t understand this because you’re not a scientist,” Kennedy said to CNN’s Dana Bash in a back-and-forth about the secretary’s prior claims that vaccines are linked to autism.
“Well, you’re not either,” Bash replied, noting the secretary’s lack of a medical or scientific background.
Kennedy said the United States had the worst outcomes of any other country during the COVID19 pandemic – a fact contested by Bash as not accurate. He blamed lockdowns for the damage and said that President Donald Trump wanted to reopen the country.
“In fact, in Anthony Fauci’s diaries, he talks about how President Trump is calling him every day, trying to get him to reopen the country,” Kennedy said.
On Wednesday, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Fauci testified — or rather pleaded the fifth — before a Senate committee that aimed to talk about the infectious disease expert’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fauci did not answer questions, instead invoking his right against self-incrimination. Under fire was his diary, released days prior to the hearing by Sen. Rand Paul, in which Fauci called Trump “out of control,” and lamented his own personal fame.
Kennedy also said that in addressing a future pandemic, “constitutional rights” must be the “number one priority.” He slammed gain-of-function research — a method involving genetic alteration and regarded by many experts as useful in pandemic research, though controversial due to biosafety concerns — as not working. On July 28, the Trump administration announced plans to end the research.
Measles cases are at the highest level in 35 years, and Kennedy, a known vaccine critic, said parents should get their kids the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
He said he “absolutely” does not take responsibility for the rising number of cases when asked about his vaccine skepticism. Kennedy instead blamed rising rates on the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, citing Fauci’s diary.
“In his diaries he says this is going to cause massive outbreaks of measles and more children, he says this, are going to die,” Kennedy said.
Fauci said in his diary that the group who “missed their measles vaccinations because of the shutdown” could lead to “far more excess deaths from measles among children than coronavirus deaths among children.”
Kennedy is also working on reforms for processed foods, a priority of his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. He denied allegations that members of the administration are working to block his reforms due to lobbying from the food industry.
The secretary shared he is “confident” that in a month, both of his changes to the ultra-processed food definition and “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) rule will be out to the public.
Southwest Montana Health Care Directory
