Nutrition in Later Life: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
Undernutrition is common, easily missed, and drives frailty, falls and slow recovery from illness.
Key takeaways
- Protein, older adults: often advised at 1.0-1.2g per kg a day
- Vitamin D: 10 micrograms daily, often year-round
- Most useful single change: Eat protein at every meal rather than only at dinner.
- Commonest mistake: Restrictive diets in later life without dietetic advice.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
What it is
Eating adequately as appetite, taste and circumstances change with age. It sits within Healthy Ageing. The table below gives the figures guidance actually works from.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Protein, older adults | often advised at 1.0-1.2g per kg a day |
| Vitamin D | 10 micrograms daily, often year-round |
| Unintentional weight loss | always needs assessment |
| Common contributors | poor dentition, dry mouth, medication, isolation, low mood |
What helps
You do not have to do all of it, and you do not have to start today.
- Eat protein at every meal rather than only at dinner
- Address teeth, dentures and dry mouth, which affect what you can eat
- Eat with others where possible; intake is measurably higher
- Fortify food with milk powder, cheese or oils if appetite is poor
What to avoid
The usual wrong turns. Some are more tempting than others.
- Restrictive diets in later life without dietetic advice
- Skipping meals when alone
- Assuming weight loss with age is normal
Where to go next
- What People Get Wrong About Nutrition in Later Life
- New to Nutrition in Later Life? Start Here
- Nutrition in Later Life — the reference entry
- What the Guidance Really Says About Skin in Later Life
- Planning Ahead: What the Evidence Actually Says
When to speak to a doctor
See a GP for unintentional weight loss, persistent loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing, or food sticking — these always need assessment. Seek urgent help for choking, or for a sudden inability to swallow, which can follow a stroke.
Where this comes from
- British Dietetic Association — malnutrition
- NHS — Food and eating well as you get older
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
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