Elderly consumers confused by healthy eating guidance

A new report by meal supplier apetito has revealed that 82 per cent of older consumers are confused by government advice on healthy eating, calling for greater national discussion about nutrition for older people.

TheKnowledge: Eating for Health calls for a new national discussion about eating for health, recognises the highly individual nature of nutrition, especially when it comes to older people.

The figures released suggest that, while 75 per cent of the general adult population are confused by government advice on healthy eating and nutrition, that figure rises to 82 per cent for those aged over 55. There appears confusion over personalised nutrition management with consumers unaware of the complex interplay between health and diet, the importance of hydration, and the social aspects of eating.

Following a survey of 1,000 UK consumers, TheKnowledge: Eating for Health calls for action in five key areas to improve the nutrition of older people in the UK, including: a shift in conversation from healthy eating to Eating for Health; a higher prominence in training on diet and nutrition; the importance of hydration; good hospital food; and stressing the importance of the dining experience.

Helen Willis, dietitian at apetito and Wiltshire Farm Foods, said: “In light of the UK’s ageing population and recent reports from Age UK and the Alzheimer’s Society highlighting problems and challenges in social care, a broader discussion about nutrition for older people is also urgently overdue.

“As the new chair of the Royal College of GPs, Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, said recently, nutritional advice such as five-a-day might not always be realistic and GPs sometimes need to tailor the advice to the individual. More than three million older people in the UK are at risk of malnutrition, and consumer confusion on nutritional issues isn’t helping the situation.

“It should come as no surprise that the majority of people in the UK are confused by general advice on eating – healthy eating is a complex issue, and such advice is often very broad. Our nutritional needs are as individual as we are, and for older people and those with health issues, these needs can be complex. It is vital that doctors and healthcare professionals are given the tools they need to support their patients from a nutritional as well as a broader health perspective.”