Why Protein is Essential for the Elderly: Expert Advice on Consumption and Prevention

[아이뉴스24 신수정 기자] When you think of protein, you may think that it is something that people who build muscle or those who are on a diet eat, but the people who need to eat protein more regularly than anyone else are the ‘elderly’.

When you think of protein, you might think that it is something that people who build muscle or those who are on a diet eat, but the people who need to eat protein more regularly than anyone else are the ‘elderly’. Image unrelated to this article. [사진=픽셀스]

Protein is one of the three essential nutrients for our body and is necessary for all body functions, including building muscles, bones, and collagen, digesting food, and fighting infections. Therefore, you must consume it every day, for the rest of your life. Dr. Stuart Phillips, a muscle physiologist and nutritionist at McMaster University in Canada, emphasized that “we need to consume protein every day because old proteins become damaged or worn out and new proteins need to replace them.”

However, our protein intake gradually decreases as we age. According to the New York Times, approximately 50% of women and 30% of men over the age of 71 do not meet even the low federal recommendations for protein. Even though older people need to consume more protein than adults.

Elderly people need to consume more protein than adults. Image unrelated to this article. [사진=픽사베이]

“Protein recommendations for older adults are the same as for younger adults, but those over 65 should consume at least 0.45 to 0.54 grams per pound more,” said Dennis K. Houston, professor of geriatrics and geriatrics at Wake Forest School of Medicine. He emphasized.

The reason is muscle loss. When people are in their 50s or older, muscle mass begins to decline rapidly, which leads to aging of the body. Elderly people with muscle loss have difficulty moving and fall easily. At this time, the muscles cannot protect the bones, and the already weakened bones easily break. An aging body that is injured in this way does not recover quickly and carries a significant risk of early death.

When people are in their 50s or older, muscle mass begins to decline rapidly, which leads to aging of the body. Elderly people with muscle loss have difficulty moving and fall easily. Image unrelated to this article. [사진=픽사베이]

To prevent these problems, elderly people must consume sufficient protein.

Reasons why older people do not get enough protein include a lack of appetite compared to when they were younger, difficulty chewing, or decreased cooking ability.

Rather than unconditionally recommending meat consumption, it is also a good idea to use yogurt, eggs, beans, etc., which are relatively easy to consume. Image unrelated to this article. [사진=픽사베이]

To solve this problem, Dr. Houston advised that rather than recommending meat consumption unconditionally, it is better to use yogurt, eggs, and beans, which are relatively easy to consume.

It is also important to increase the importance of breakfast. Many people do not eat breakfast or eat only light breakfast. In the case of older people who lack protein intake, it may not be easy to increase the amount of protein in their daily diet at once because the amount of food itself is not large. Therefore, it is necessary to eat a breakfast containing protein to meet the protein intake and increase the amount of food eaten.

/Reporter Shin Soo-jeong ([email protected])
2024-02-20 22:00:02

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