Nutrition - recommendations from the Directorate of Health

-Automatic translation

Educational material on nutrition and diet for older adults:

All the primary information about nutrition can be found on Heilsuvera.is (Icelandic)

Official dietary recommendations for the elderly

Older people in good health (Icelandic) may benefit from official dietary recommendations (Icelandic) but with a slightly different focus. Energy needs decrease with age due to muscle atrophy and reduced physical activity. However, the need for vitamins and minerals does not decrease with age, and the need for protein increases. For older people who have less appetite, smaller portions of food must provide a higher amount of protein but also the same amount of vitamins and minerals.

• Whole grain products (e.g. oatmeal and whole grain bread), vegetables, and fruit are good sources of fibre and nutrients.

• Cooked vegetables are as good a source of fibre as raw vegetables. However, this is low-energy food and must not take up space from other nutritious and protein-rich food.

Weak or ill older adults who eat little

For weak or ill older adults who eat little (Icelandic), individual measures must be taken to meet nutritional needs and prevent malnutrition. Food available to older people in nursing homes, just like in their own homes, affects their health and well-being. Appetite often decreases with age, but the need for vitamins and minerals remains almost unchanged, and the need for protein increases.

All weak or ill older people should be fed energy- and protein-rich diets. Examples of how to prepare such meals are given in the recommendations. Thus, dietary recommendations for weak or ill older people differ from those for healthier people.