Avoid strong tea with meals and take a daily vitamin D supplement says new diet advice for Ireland’s over-65s

These are part of the Ministry of Health’s latest healthy eating guidelines for people 65 and older, released today.

Healthy meal packs point out that older adults have different nutritional needs and should adjust their dietary intake to “live their best lives.”

The nine rules include:

• Obese older adults with weight-related health problems should receive individualized interventions to ensure that weight loss is beneficial and that muscle tissue loss is minimized.
• However, overweight older people who are at low risk are advised to avoid weight-loss diets to prevent loss of muscle mass.
• People at risk of dehydration need plenty of fluids. Women need 1.6 liters a day and men 2 liters a day, unless medically directed to restrict fluids.
• Strong tea interferes with the absorption of iron and zinc, so it should only be consumed between meals, not during meals.
• Taste declines with age, and salt intake may increase. Therefore, avoid eating salty foods and use alternatives such as herbs and spices to enhance the flavor.
• To stimulate muscle protein, healthy older adults should consume more protein-rich diets such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and eggs.
• Adequate caloric intake to prevent the development of frailty, muscle weakness and nutritional deficiencies.
• The diet should contain high-fiber carbohydrates, but should be low in free sugars. Although average carbohydrate intake is at the lower end of the recommended intake range, a third of his seniors exceed the recommended free sugar intake.
• Ireland now recommends that all older adults take a 15 μg vitamin D supplement daily. This resource provides specific details on ranges of recommended dietary vitamin D intakes for older adults. This range depends on whether you can get vitamin D from sun exposure.
• Fortified foods are good sources of B vitamins (B12, folic acid, B6, riboflavin) and vitamin D. On the other hand, unsweetened orange juice, salads, fruits and vegetables are reliable daily sources of vitamin C.

Launching the new guidelines, Minister for Mental Health and Aging Mary Butler said: By eating a nutritious diet, we can all achieve healthy, active and autonomous aging throughout our life course.

Chief Medical Officer Breda Smith added that by 2041, the elderly are expected to make up up to 20% of the population. “By investing in simple lifestyle choices, you can live well into old age and reduce your risk of developing other health problems,” she said.

Guidelines are available at: gov.ie/HealthyEatingOver65