Maintaining a healthy weight is important at every stage of life, but it can be a little more difficult as an older adult due to the physiological changes that occur as you age.
Older adults often struggle to get enough calories and protein, which puts them at risk of weight loss and low body weight. Too-low body weight can have a negative effect on your strength, energy level, and quality of life.
To gain weight as an older adult, you need to eat nutrient-dense foods, snacks, and drinks, and possibly add weight-gain supplements to what you already eat.
Calorie-Dense Foods for Weight Gain
If you’re an older adult who needs to gain weight but you aren’t getting enough calories, you can add calories to your diet through nutritious snacking and small changes to meals.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends focusing on nutrient-packed foods from all major food groups. Indeed, as far as types of food to increase your appetite, you’ll want to focus on the following, according to Cleveland Clinic.
- Protein-Rich Meat: Chicken breast, ground turkey, lean pork chops, salmon, and lean beef.
- Full-Fat Dairy: Yogurt, cheese, milk, and cottage cheese.
- Complex Carbohydrates: Beans, peas, squash, potatoes, bulgur, farro, lentils, quinoa, brown rice, and whole-grain bread.
- Protein-Packed Supplements: Protein powder and nutritional shakes (more on these below).
You can also add healthy, calorie-rich extras to the foods you already enjoy to help increase your calorie intake:
- Top sides like a hearty salad with nuts, freshly grated cheese, sliced avocado, and dried fruit.
- Eat hearty snacks like whole-grain crackers with cheese or peanut butter.
- Snack on small portions of unsalted nuts.
- Eat full-fat yogurt or dairy products with fruit toppings.
- Add toppings to popcorn, like shredded cheese.
High-Calorie Beverages for Weight Gain
Incorporating high-calorie beverages into a daily routine can help older adults gain weight. Good options for weight-gain drinks include the following:
- Whole milk
- High-protein smoothies
- 100 percent juice
For example, if you drink 8 ounces (oz) of whole milk (about 146 calories) at each meal, you’ll add an extra 438 calories per day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Similarly, 8 oz of orange juice will provide an extra 112 calories per meal, or about 336 calories per day, according to the USDA.
If you make a smoothie with protein powder, whole milk, and yogurt, you can add up to 500 calories per day, depending on the type of protein you use and the other smoothie ingredients.
Why It Can Be Difficult for Older Adults to Gain Weight
There are several reasons why it’s harder for older adults to gain weight and why they lose weight so easily.
As you age, your appetite decreases, and you tend to eat fewer calories than younger people. In fact, research shows that caloric intake has the potential to decline by as much as 500 to 700 calories per day between young adulthood and late life.
A few factors can affect an older adult’s appetite and weight. Chronic diseases and appetite-suppressing medications (both more common in older people) can lead to a reduced appetite, according to Mount Sinai.
And in some cases, dental problems can make it difficult to chew or swallow food, leading to less food intake, per Harvard Health Publishing.
Other factors can contribute to unintentional weight loss in older adults:
- Depression
- Dementia (or memory loss and cognitive decline)
- A change in taste and smell
- Infection
- Certain medications
- Underlying illness (like heart disease or Parkinson’s disease)
Ultimately, the human body is constantly evolving, and age-related changes can greatly influence nutrition requirements and appetite.
5 Tips to Increase Appetite and Weight Gain in Older Adults
If you or a loved one is experiencing unintentional weight loss or a reduced appetite with age, there are a few actions you can take.
1. Contact Your Doctor
To get to the bottom of your weight loss, the first step is to get a doctor involved, according to Mayo Clinic. They can diagnose any potential underlying health conditions and treat them properly.
Your doctor may also help adjust your diet or switch your medications if that is causing reduced appetite. And if dental issues are the problem, a trip to the dentist could resolve discomfort or chewing problems.
2. Stick to a Mealtime Schedule
One way to increase appetite and assist in weight gain is sticking with a mealtime schedule every day, according to the National Institute on Aging. This can be achieved through meal prepping your own food, having a loved one help you, or taking advantage of prepared meals or local community centers that serve meals.
You can also try to eat multiple smaller meals during the day to stimulate your appetite, rather than sitting down to three big meals, per Mayo Clinic. This can also help you get more calories overall.
3. Engage in Light Exercise
Light to moderate exercise is a great way to increase appetite in older adults. Even something like taking a walk around the neighborhood each day can help.
By burning calories and stretching muscles through light exercise like walking or yoga, you’re more likely to have an appetite throughout the day, according to Michigan State University.
4. Make Meals Look (and Taste) Appetizing
It may help to keep portions small so they look easier to eat. With the approval of a doctor, you can also add spices and seasonings to make food more appealing.
Try adding new and nutritious toppings to your favorite foods and introduce tempting side dishes, like cheesy mashed potatoes next to a plate of broccoli and lean beef, for example.
The Takeaway
- There are many different reasons why older adults have difficulty gaining weight or lose too much weight as they age, including depression, cognitive decline, medications, and reduced appetite.
- There are ways to increase appetite, including high-calorie foods and drinks that can help you gain weight.
- If you’re having trouble gaining weight or believe you have an underlying health condition causing low body weight, talk to your doctor.
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