Obesity in the elderly

Because the living standards are getting better and better, the diet of many people has been increasing. If the diet is not appropriate, it is easy to cause obesity, and the same is true for the elderly. If the elderly suffer from obesity, they will suffer from some common cardiovascular diseases, such as the three highs. There are many things to pay attention to in life regarding obesity in the elderly. If you do not pay attention to them in time, the disease will occur.

Obesity may seem like nothing, but there are many things that require attention in life. For example, you cannot consume some high-fat foods, you cannot eat animal livers, etc. Everyone must know the precautions for obesity.

Basic principles of nutritional diet therapy for elderly obese patients:

① Ensure the balance of various nutrients and metabolic needs, so that obese elderly people can get the living treatment of normal people, maintain normal or standard weight, maintain health and normal work.

② Determine the total calorie intake based on the patient's obesity level and labor intensity. A low-calorie diet (1000-1400 kCal/d, equivalent to 4182-5854 kJ/d) is appropriate for obese or overweight patients. It is recommended that total calorie restriction be gradual, and weight loss should not be too rapid or drastic, otherwise it will be difficult for the patient to tolerate and persist.

③ Reasonable combination of dietary structure: After determining the total calories, make a reasonable combination of the three major nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) and fiber. Currently, WHO advocates that under the premise of total calorie restriction, the proportion of carbohydrates should be appropriately relaxed. Carbohydrates in the diet can account for 55% to 65% of the total calories. Mainly choose complex carbohydrates and carbohydrates rich in soluble food fiber, such as beans, wheat, rice, root vegetables, and hard fruits. And promote a high-fiber diet. Although these high-fiber foods are polysaccharide foods, they produce very low calories and have almost no effect on insulin secretion. A high-fiber diet can delay and reduce the absorption of glucose in the intestine, alleviate and reduce insulin resistance, increase insulin sensitivity, while lowering blood lipids and losing weight.

High-fiber foods include: grains (rice, buckwheat, oats, corn, fresh fruits, etc.), beans, seaweed, green vegetables, pumpkin, etc. The total dietary fiber intake recommended by WHO is 27-40 g/d, of which soluble fiber is 22-32 g/d. It is currently believed that protein in the diet should account for less than 15% of total calories, while the US ADA recommends that obese people should consume 0.8g/kg of body weight per day. They should appropriately choose animal proteins that are high in essential amino acids and high in quality, such as lean meat, fish, eggs, skinless chicken, milk, low-fat cheese, yogurt, nuts, etc.

For obese people, especially those with diabetes, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis or coronary heart disease, fat intake should be controlled at 25%-30% of total calories, of which saturated fatty acids (such as lard, mutton, butter, cream, etc.) should not exceed 1/3, to achieve a balance between saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated acids.

The above introduces the precautions regarding obesity in the elderly. I hope it can draw everyone's attention to the disease of obesity in the elderly. Obesity is actually not scary. What is scary are some of the diseases brought about by obesity, which pose great hidden dangers to the body. The fat inside the body will press on blood vessels and nerve fibers.