Aging, Nutrition and Taste

Nutrition, Food Science and Culinary Perspectives for Aging Tastefully

Jacqueline B. Marcus

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9780128135280
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Nutrition, Dietics & Bariatrics

Approximately 380 million people worldwide are 60 years of age or older. This number is predicted to triple to more than 1 billion by 2025. Aging, Nutrition and Taste: Nutrition, Food Science and Culinary Perspectives for Aging Tastefully provides research, facts, theories, practical advice and recipes with full color photographs to feed the rapidly growing aging population healthfully. This book takes an integrated approach, utilizing nutrition, food science and the culinary arts.

A significant number of aging adults may have taste and smell or chemosensory disorders and many may also be considered to be undernourished. While this can be partially attributed to the behavioral, physical and social changes that come with aging, the loss or decline in taste and smell may be at the root of other disorders. Aging adults may not know that these disorders exist nor what can be done to compensate. This text seeks to fill the knowledge gap.

Aging, Nutrition and Taste: Nutrition, Food Science and Culinary Perspectives for Aging Tastefully examines aging from three perspectives: nutritional changes that affect health and well-being; food science applications that address age-specific chemosensory changes, compromised disease states and health, and culinary arts techniques that help make food more appealing to diminishing senses. Beyond scientific theory, readers will find practical tips and techniques, products, recipes, and menus to increase the desirability, consumption and gratification of healthy foods and beverages as people age.

• Presents information on new research and theories including a fresh look at calcium, cholesterol, fibers, omega-3 fatty acids, higher protein requirements, vitamins C, E, D, trace minerals and phytonutrients and others specifically for the aging population
• Includes easy to access and usable definitions in each chapter, guidelines, recommendations, tables and usable bytes of information for health professionals, those who work with aging populations and aging people themselves
• Synthesizes overall insights in overviews, introductions and digest summaries of each chapter, identifying relevant material from other chapters and clarifying their pertinence

Chapter 1

Global and US Aging

Abstract

Aging is the process of growing older. Taste is the perception or experience of flavor. Revolution is a major change. The amalgamation of aging, taste and revolution might seem like an unorthodox mix. On the contrary: the sense of aging may decline as people age and aging populations are growing exponentially worldwide. This is revolutionary, because while people are living longer as their sense of taste declines this may lead to poor nutrition, reduced ability to fight disease and/or decreased wellness. This chapter provides an examination of aging throughout the United States and globally and attempts to identify the implications of taste and other chemosensory changes that are associated with aging on diet, nutrition, health and well-being. This chapter also provides the foundation for the 11 chapters that follow and gives credence for an interdisciplinary approach of nutrition, food science and culinary arts perspectives as they relate to aging and taste.

Keywords

Aging in place; baby boomers; food insecurity; functional ability; gerontology; intrinsic capacity; life expectancy; nutritional frailty; primary, secondary and tertiary aging; sarcopenic obesity

Pearl of Wisdom: I like hot sauce on everything—salsa, srirache, Tobasco. Otherwise nothing has taste anymore. I even use it on salad!

H.M.

Outline

• Summary 2
• Introduction 2
• Global Aging 2
  • Global Aging by the Numbers 2
  • World Population 3
  • Aging Populations Worldwide 3
  • Global Aging and Life Expectancy 3
  • Global Aging and Disease 4
  • Global Aging and Ethnic and Racial Disparities 4
  • Global Aging and Residence 4
  • Global Aging and Education 4
  • Global Aging and Employment 5
  • Global Aging, Health, and Health Care 6
  • Global Aging and Nutrition 6
  • Global Aging and Chemosensory Changes 7
  • Global Aging Impacts on Nutrition, Food Science, and Culinary Perspectives 7
  • The Impact of Global Aging 8
  • Global Aging by the Numbers 8
• Impact—Global Gerontology and Geriatrics 9
• US Aging 10
  • US Aging by the Numbers 10
  • US Life Expectancy 10
  • US Aging and Disease 11
  • US Aging and Chronic Diseases 11
  • US Aging and Ethnic and Racial Disparities 12
  • US Aging and Residence 12
  • US Aging and Education 13
  • US Aging and Employment 13
  • US Aging and Socioeconomic Costs 13
  • US Aging, Health, and Health Care 14
  • US Aging and Nutrition 14
  • US Aging and Chemosensory Changes 15
  • US Aging Impacts on Nutrition, Food Science, and Culinary Perspectives 15
  • Nutrition and Culinary Arts Partnerships for the Aging 16
• Impact: Gerontology and Geriatrics in the United States 18
• Digest 19
• Manner of Speaking 19
• References 23

Learning Objectives

1. 1. Examine US and global population trends for the aging.
2. 2. Identify US and global aging impacts on nutrition, food science, and the culinary arts.
3. 3. Speculate on future US and global requisites to meet growing aging needs.
4. 4. Highlight food, nutrition and health collaborations that address growing aging needs in the United States and globally.
5. 5. Present forthcoming opportunities that meet increasing nutrition and health needs of the aging in the United States and globally.

PHOTO: Steamer Basket © 2019 Grace Natoli Sheldon. Reprinted with permission.

Summary

To imperatively stress the importance of the growing demographic of aging people in the United States in relation to other population groups and the need for individual and collective attention to their exponentially expanding needs.

Introduction

This chapter provides an examination of aging throughout the United States and globally and attempts to identify the implications of chemosensory changes that are associated with aging on diet, nutrition, health and well-being.

The importance of this growing demographic in relation to younger population groups is stressed, as well as the need for more attention to aging populations for improved health, longevity and quality of life.

This chapter also provides the foundation for the chapters that follow and gives credence for this interdisciplinary approach of nutrition, food science and culinary arts perspectives. While the population figures and trends for the aging were the most current at the time of this writing, it is important to note that they are anticipated to grow both globally and within the United States, not decline in numbers.

The imperative is to gather the information that is presented in the context of diverse aging environments and considerations and take action.

Global Aging

Global Aging by the Numbers

For the majority of human history, the aging demographic has represented 5% or less of worldwide populations. This was until the nineteenth century and the Industrial Revolution in the developed world when aging populations comprised about 15% of the world’s population. By the mid-21st century, this number is projected to increase threefold or more than in 2015. This increase in the aging demographic means that most developed countries will have both aging populations and declining or stagnant populations simultaneously [1].

World Population

In July, 2015 the world population was 7.3 billion and was projected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030 (most current figures to date). From 2015 to 2050 half of the population growth around the world is expected to be concentrated in nine countries (listed according to their size of contribution to total world population growth): India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, the United States, Indonesia, and Uganda [2].

As of 2016, the number of people worldwide who were aged 65 years or older was 8.5% (around 617 million). This percentage is projected to double to almost 17% (around 1.6 billion) of the world’s population by 2050 and more than triple by 2100 [2].

Aging Populations Worldwide

Growing aging populations around the world are an upward trend that impacts both developed and underdeveloped countries. As the world populations age, burdens are placed on both economic and social support systems.

Throughout Europe, 34% of the population is projected to be over 60 years of age by 2050. In Italy and Germany the aging populations are expected to increase from about one-fifth to one-third of their respective populations by 2050.

In Italy, 22% of the population that was 65 years or older in 2015 and this number is projected to increase to 35% in 2050. In 2015, 21% of the population in Germany was 65 years or older and this number is projected to increase to 32% by 2050 [3].

Rapid increases in populations have already impacted Japan where the number of aging people is projected to surpass that of the United States by 2050. Twenty-six percent of the population of Japan was aged 65 years or older in 2015. In comparison, this number is expected to increase to 35% in 2050 [3].

Other parts of Asia, including China and India, have also projected escalated aging populations. By 2050, South Korea will be competing with Germany, Italy and Japan for the country with the oldest country in the world.

The biggest increase in aging people over 65 years of age is expected in China that is projected to have about 371 million people by 2050. As of 2015, this number is greater than the entire US population. This is particularly concerning since low fertility levels and rapid economic developments in China and other countries have caused the proportion of older persons to increase over time and reduce available care providers.

In general, the US population is aging at a slower rate than in other developed countries. While 15% of the US population was aged 65 years or older in 2015, this segment is projected to increase to 22% in 2050.

In comparison, in the Caribbean and Latin America the aging populations are projected to increase from 11% to 12% of people over the age of 60 years in 2015 to more than 25% by 2050. Only 8% of the population of Brazil was 65 years or older in 2015. This figure is estimated to increase to 23% in 2050 (more than in the United States). Mexico, with just 7% of the population aged 65 years and older in 2015, is anticipated to increase to 19% in 2050. As of 2015, Africa had the “youngest” aging population, but it is projected to age rapidly, from 5% in 2015 to 9% by 2050 [3].

Global Aging and Life Expectancy

In recent years, global life expectancy has substantially increased in the least developed and poorest countries. Because people are living longer, this phenomenon increases the relative number of aging people.

Postwar era, life expectancy in developed countries has increased about 10 years. Now, in most countries, people live until their late seventies or early eighties.

For example, life expectancy in China is 76 years, whic...