Journal club

The European Food Safety Authority recently estimated that the Population Reference Intake for adults of all ages was 0.83 g protein/kg body weight per day. The Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) in the UK for protein in the healthy adult (including older people) population is 0.75g/kg body weight. Requirements are determined by measurement of the amount of protein needed to maintain nitrogen balance and provide any additional needs for growth, pregnancy and lactation. In healthy individuals with nutritionally complex diets, protein intakes are generally higher than requirements. However this is not the case for older subjects, particularly those living in institutions.

“Body composition in 70-year-old adults responds to dietary β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate similarly to that of young adults.”

Achieving an adequate vitamin D status through dietary intake of vitamin D is difficult in older adults as food sources are limited and few foods are fortified with vitamin D. A recent analysis of dietary survey data across eight European countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom) showed intakes of Vitamin D to be universally of concern. The proportion of subjects who had a vitamin D intake below the Lower Reference Nutrient Intake (LRNI) was over 90% in many age and sex groups.

Malnutrition and sarcopenia are conditions that are common and overlapping in older adults. Both conditions are strongly influenced by nutrition, where an inadequate nutrient intake is a contributing factor to weight loss and consequently functional impairment.