Adequate Protein Intake In Older Adults

With age, protein intake becomes vital for our health. As we age, our bodies begin to change and require an ample amount of protein to be healthy. The protein requirements for “men and women, ages 19 and older, is .80 g of protein” (Chernoff, 2014). It is necessary that older adults consume about 7 grams of protein for every 20 pounds of their body weight. This can be achieved by eating certain foods that are high in protein. Nuts, cheese, pasta, beans, yogurt, and turkey are all examples of foods that are rich in protein. With advancing age, protein intake becomes critical because physical activity declines, while diseases come more prevalent. “Age is the primary risk factor for a multitude of pathological conditions” (Sharples et al., 2015). …show more content…
Generally speaking, at a young age protein intake levels and physical activity levels are higher, when compared to those older in age. As we get older, many people eat less, which requires an increase in protein to maintain a sufficient and healthy lifestyle. Protein needs in older adults differ greatly from the protein needs of younger people because older adults have to eat foods that are full of nutrients, rather than energy dense. This includes food such as eggs, fish, low-fat foods, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and cereals. Basically, older adults need to double their intake of daily protein. The protein needs of older adults include animal protein such as meat and poultry, egg protein, and seafood (Chernoff, 2004). After reading the research by Chernoff, I realized how important protein in older adults is. Older adults do not exercise as much, which causes a loss in body mass and muscle strength. Without having the muscle or strength to do anything, many older adults loose their motor skills and other body functions. In result, older adults experience their bodies shutting down at a faster …show more content…
In Maryland, a study included 2,655 black and white, men and women, aged 65 to 85 years old. This study was done to understand the lack of protein intake of older adults. For older men, the prevalence of inadequate protein intake was 24%. For women, the prevalence of inadequate protein intake was 31%. When the race and age groups were combined, women had a higher level of insufficient protein intake. When blacks were compared to whites, they had a higher prevalence of the lack of protein intake; 11% higher than whites. This study found that with advancing age came an increase in inadequate protein consumption. Old black women, ages 80-84 years old, had 43% prevalence of inadequate protein intake (Chernoff, 2014). This places them at the greatest risk of not receiving the proper protein intake. This could be due to the lack of food resources, areas they may live in, and little to none education about protein intake. If more people knew about the risk of inadequate protein intake, these numbers would possible be decreased. Just by word of mouth alone, this can be