5 Tips for Healthy Eating as You Age

Avoiding restrictive dieting, including protein and moderate consumption of grains and tubers are some of the key points.

Thanks to numerous advances in science and technology, our life expectancy is increasing every year. For this reason, the elderly population is becoming more numerous. The World Health Organization (WHO) has already predicted that between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years old will almost double from 12% to 22%.

Spain, according to the latest data from the statistical agency Eurostat, is the country in the European Union (EU) with the highest life expectancy at 84 years, 2.5 points above the European average. It is one of the oldest countries in the world, and among several hypotheses for the causes, such as the environment, the public health system or socio-cultural aspects, lifestyle plays an important role. In fact, diet is considered one of the most important mechanisms.

More and more resources are being devoted to research into what is the ideal diet for a person to live these years of their life with the highest possible quality. Diana Diaz-Rizzolo, researcher and professor at the UPC Department of Health Sciences, an expert in nutrition and longevity, conducts research in this area and explains the characteristics that an ideal diet for older people should have:

1. Avoid restrictive eating. Numerous studies have shown that nutritional deficiencies can be common in older people, so it is important to pay attention to ensuring that the diet is nutritious. In the case of excess weight, Diaz-Rizzolo, an expert in the UPC Master’s program in healthy and sustainable nutrition, explains that it is necessary to focus on the quality of nutrition. “We usually see people who are overweight because they continue to eat a diet similar to that of younger people. Energy expenditure has decreased either because we are less active or have stopped exercising for various reasons, or because our basic caloric expenditure has decreased … due to age itself,” he notes.

2. Focus on the quality (not quantity) of your diet. Diet quality should be the goal. A greater variety of foods from better sources will provide us with the nutrients we need, make us more satisfied and give us more energy than less healthy foods. “For example, a large plate of roast vegetables (more than 300 g of carrots, peppers, zucchini and eggplant) accompanied by a large piece of potato omelette seems like a lot, but a mixed sandwich or bikini sandwich, which at first glance may seem like a light dinner, can give us more calories and less satiety due to the low fiber content and much lower nutrient content,” he notes.

3. Avoid ultra-processed foods, they age you. Not only do these products directly affect our health and bring us closer to the development of preventable chronic pathologies, but they also age us. “They make us more fragile and increase the risk of death (even if they do not provide us with many calories). But they also contribute to the aging of our cells. Come on, a cocktail to live less and worse,” warns Diaz. -Rizzolo.

4. Eat protein (prefer plant protein over animal protein). Although previous studies seemed to indicate that the amount of protein consumed by older people was sufficient, it was found that this was not the case. Protein requirements change with age and it is difficult to include in the diet in the required amounts. But, surprisingly, it was noted that the more animal protein consumed, the weaker the elderly become. “It is advisable to consume protein foods of plant origin. In fact, replacing just 3% of animal protein with plant protein represents a 10% reduction in mortality risk,” explains the professor.

5. Reduce the amount of cereals and tubers and increase the amount of nuts, olive oil and avocados.. Older people follow a moderately light diet with carbohydrate-rich foods (such as rice, pasta, potatoes, flour, or sweet potatoes). However, consuming these plant-based fats helps prevent the development of pathologies in old age and protect against cellular aging.

“Therefore, an unrestricted diet with a wide choice of plant-based foods may be our best ally in living longer and better,” concludes Diaz-Rizzolo.