Ageing – a developmental triumph or the burden of success?

The age of the population is shifting with an estimate that, by 2050, the global elderly population will have risen to 1.5 billion people. Even developing countries will see this shift as nutrition, medication and sanitation improve and birth rates decrease. In many countries the elderly are celebrated through initiatives such as the International Day of Older Persons (UN) and Respect the Aged Day (Japan). However, increased life expectancy comes at a price as it does not necessarily guarantee an increase in healthy life expectancy. This change in demographic has far-reaching economic impacts, particularly in healthcare which must now re-evaluate its approach to ensure comprehensive treatment plans and medical care. Ageing can be accompanied by muscle wastage affecting whole-body metabolism leading to frailty and an increased risk of metabolic diseases. These, along with degenerative diseases such as sarcopenia and cachexia can severely affect people's health, mobility and quality of life. According to Age UK, falls are a major cause of injury and death among the over 70s and account for more than 50% of hospital admissions for accidental injury. Around 14,000 people die annually after a fall. From the Japanese Walking Suit to the American-designed Tremor Spoon, technology can provide some solutions to improve the quality of life for older people. But what can healthcare professionals, nutritionists and dieticians do to support those in need? Evidence suggests that a healthy ...
Source: The Nutrition Society - Category: Nutrition Authors: Source Type: news