In today’s society the main focus is clearly and unabashedly on obesity.
We are all getting larger with every generation and it will cost us both health wise and fi nancially in the long run. There’s no big surprise there, but what might surprise you is the serious problem of malnutrition with Europe’s elderly. It’s diffi cult to imagine that with all the information we have about over eating that there is virtually no information on malnutrition.

In a recent report from the European Nutrition for Health Alliance more than 55 percent (over the age of 65) of patients admitted to hospital were malnourished. Malnutrition can simply be defi ned as an imbalance of energy, protein, and other nutrients that causes measurable adverse effects on tissue and body form and function as well as on clinical outcomes. What isn’t simple is bringing about change to policy makers to push for Healthy Nutrition Promotion Campaigns. Society in general needs to concentrate more on improving nutritional health for the elderly placing a spotlight on the problem and bringing about change. Why aren’t we taking care of a situation that is clearly our responsibility?

We need to make change in order to prevent the suffering and premature deaths of millions of people, the same people who are our neighbours, our friends, our family, the same people who used to be our caretakers. Some would argue this isn’t the problem for the younger generations; however, other than being totally iniquitous it isn’t as straight forward as that. If someone suffers from malnutrition at a young age they can be exposed to all types of diseases and disabilities, but if they are treated in time the chances are good that they will recover. With the elderly however, this is not the case, they suffer long term and are much less likely to recover. Not only is this an unnecessary occurrence but there is also a huge fi nancial strain put on to the local governments and communities due to the overwhelming medical costs. Ultimately everyone will suffer with long term fi nancial payouts with the cost of malnutrition being more than 10 billion euros per year! Avoiding this situation is very straight forward. It merely requires us to take an active role in the well being of our elderly citizens. Professor Jean-Pierre Baeyens, President of the European Nutrition for Health Alliance states, “There are many physical, mental, social and environmental changes taking place with ageing. Factors such as low food intake, chronic diseases and reduced perceptions of taste can lead to lack of appetite. Proper nutrition and nutritional support may improve food intake and lead to better immune response and will enhance a person’s physical and psychological abilities.” Taking an active role in our communities and pushing for more awareness programmes can help immensely.

One of the causes of malnutrition is lack of information some people may be at extremely high risk and not even be aware of it. It is also important to promote social interaction, one of the worst things for older people is to be neglected or shut out. Whether due to fi nances, lack of friends, carers or even mobility, it is vital to remember they are a huge part of our society that must be acknowledged, cared for and respected. Not having regular social interaction can not only lead to depression and a variety of age related diseases, but also malnutrition. As diverse as they are this generation can be reached at several levels and points of contact. From social clubs to supermarkets raising awareness about malnutrition should be at the forefront. For example; Invite a food specialist to talk and discuss nutrition at social centres; have a weekly book or magazine club focused on healthy living or even arrange free nutrition advice days at the local health centre. All these ideas would be excellent ways of contributing in your area.

Even publishing fl yers that are informative and sensitive to local culture on malnutrition would have a massive impact on getting information to the people that need it. Contact your local government to fi nd out what they are doing for older people to promote healthy nutrition. It is one thing to advise people to eat a healthy diet if they can afford it, it is entirely different if they don’t have the money to do so. If you think that money is a serious concern for the older people in your area then start a healthy nutrition campaign for senior citizens and get people interested in helping you. Try arranging special discounts for seniors on healthy products once a week at your local supermarket. Or perhaps rally up enough people to donate to a nutrition fund once a month to provide a healthy and tasty alternative to meals on wheels! Being mobile is a fundamental right for everyone, including older people. If it is diffi cult to socialize or visit the local health professional on a regular basis it can start to seriously affect their health. Mobility is vital in all its forms from cars to walking and encouraging local authorities to promote activities and provide transport for them is the ideal solution to avoiding social isolation. There are many misconceptions about ageing and one of the most common is that getting thinner is a normal part of the ageing process. It isn’t; there is nothing natural about losing too much weight and energy there will almost always be an underlying problem. Malnutrition can be well hidden by some, but it is important to report any changes in diet that are resulting in weight loss to a GP or other health care professional.

It is also important to note that not all GPs are created equal and while some may ignore the signs, there are others that are more aware of the problem. There is a test that can be undergone called the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST). It can be easily downloaded from the internet at www.bapen.org. uk/the-must.htm and is the most reliable way to measure the risk of malnutrition by calculating the BMI (Body Mass Index). The test is usually conducted by a health professional and can calculate obesity as well as malnutrition; however, it is important to note the test is measured differently for children. It is not simply about getting this valuable information out there to the people who need it, but it is also about interacting with older people. By not reaching these valued members of our society we could be missing out on the knowledge, the fulfi lment and the experience of truly understanding what life is all about.