Sunday January 20, 2013
Supplementing elderly diets
A study finds nutritional supplement improves health parameters in the elderly.
KOTRA Pharma recently announced its research findings for a nutritional supplement aimed at improving the general well-being of seniors (60 years and above) by improving their nutritional status and preventing malnutrition.
According to Dr Zahara Abdul Manaf, the lead researcher for the Appeton Wellness 60+ clinical research, there has been a rapid increase in Malaysia’s elderly population, and by the year 2020, this population is expected to reach 3.4 million.
This phenomenon is also reflected worldwide, where in 2011, seniors 60 years and above represented 11% of the world’s population.
Malnutrition is one of the most common ailments faced by the elderly, and can be attributed to physiological factors, such as altered taste and smell, reduced appetite and digestion; sociological factors, such as eating habits, nutrition misinformation and financial difficulties; and psychological factors, such as depression, loneliness and cognitive decline.
These factors, if not addressed, will lead to malnutrition, which in turn causes severe weight loss, the deterioration of healthy cells and organs, reduced functional status and overall deterioration in health, increasing the risks of chronic illnesses.
The clinical research was conducted by a team of researchers led by Dr Zahara, from Hospital University Kebangsaan Malaysia.
A total of 64 participants from old folk’s homes were identified to participate in the research.
The participants were divided into two groups: the intervention group and the control group.
Both the intervention and control groups consumed their regular food intake.
However, the intervention group had their daily meals supplemented with the Appeton Wellness 60+ twice a day.
This test period was conducted over three months, with regular weigh-ins, blood tests, and body fat composition and body mass index (BMI) tests.
All the data collected were then analysed, and the results showed that there was continuous improvement in body weight, BMI and total body fat; higher absorption of calories; and higher albumin, pre-albumin, serum ferritin and haemoglobin levels in the blood of the intervention group.
All these various improvements contributed to the overall health and well being of the participants, demonstrating significant improvement to the nutritional status of the participants in the intervention group.