Table of contents:
- What causes the body to become thinner when the elderly?
- Health problems also cause the elderly's body to become thinner
- What should be done if the elderly continue to lose weight?
As you get older, have you noticed that usually there is a change in the body of the elderly (elderly)? In addition to increasingly wrinkled skin, the weight of the elderly will also generally shrink. Both in elderly women and men. Actually, what causes a person's body to become thinner when entering old age?
What causes the body to become thinner when the elderly?
If you gain weight easily at a young age, it may be different when you start to get older. The reason is, the shape of the human body will generally change with increasing age.
The loss of a number of lean tissue in the body is one of the causes of the body of the elderly who are getting thinner. Normally, everyone's body is composed of fat, bone, water, and lean tissue that contains muscles and organs.
Lean tissue that will shrink little by little when you have entered the age of 30 years and over. Not only that, muscles, liver, kidneys, and various other organs of the body will also lose some of their cells.
This process of muscle wasting is known as muscle atrophy. Meanwhile, the loss of some minerals and density in the bones is known as osteopenia. Supposing, osteopenia is an early stage before the elderly experience osteoporosis.
The amount of tissue that is lost in this body can have an effect, thereby reducing the total amount of water in your body. Even though it turns out that after the age of 30 the number of more the body will increase, the available fat layer under the skin is usually not much.
This is what contributes to the cause of the body getting thinner when the elderly. In addition, the occurrence of malnutrition in the elderly is another factor that leads to weight loss with age.
Health problems also cause the elderly's body to become thinner
The cause of the body of the elderly who is getting thinner is usually due to certain health problems. Furthermore, these health problems will lead to a decline in the nutritional status of the elderly.
When an elderly person experiences one or more symptoms of the disease, that condition will affect their weight loss. This is even more so if the disease has not been diagnosed.
Take for example having acid reflux, or cancer. In fact, the side effects of taking drugs can also lead to the cause of the elderly's body getting thinner.
What should be done if the elderly continue to lose weight?
Source: Aging in Places
Do not take it lightly when the elderly's body looks thinner from day to day, for whatever reason. This is because unplanned weight loss in the elderly can indicate possible problems with their bodies.
Therefore, it is important to always monitor the weight of the elderly every day. First, how to measure the weight of the elderly, then write it down in a special note.
Every time you undergo a doctor's examination, you must take a note containing your weight measurement. That way, it can make it easier for doctors to get information about the body condition of the elderly.
Second, notice when the elderly lose their appetite for food, and the strength or ability to do activities decreases. You can consult a doctor for further treatment and advice.
Usually, doctors will advise the elderly to get more protein and calorie intake in their daily food and drink menu. This is because the solid fat in calories can be the best way to increase energy intake.
A study published in the journal Nutrients also suggests increasing protein intake by drinking additional supplements, whey protein, or milk. Especially for the elderly who are already showing signs of muscle loss.
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