Viva Vitality: Be a nutrition champion
By Pat MacIntosh on September 29, 2023.
Did you know that 1 in 3 older adults living in the community are at nutrition risk? Or that 1 in 2 adults admitted to hospital already have malnutrition? Malnutrition can affect all people, ages and body sizes. Malnutrition happens when you don’t get enough food and nutrition. Some factors that can increase the risk of malnutrition are: – A medical condition – Decline in mental abilities – Difficulty chewing or swallowing – Arthritis or poor mobility – Grief and loss – Anxiety, depression, or social isolation – Not enough money for food or limited access to food – Poor appetite, loss of taste or smell. It is important to address malnutrition – it can cause muscle loss and lead to a decline in your health and strength. In time, malnutrition can cause weakness and the inability to walk, dress and bathe by yourself. Everyone has a role to play to address malnutrition. Addressing it early and making small changes each day can make a big impact on a person’s health, independence, and quality of life. How can you be a nutrition champion? 1. Tell your healthcare provider if you (or a family member) has: – A poor appetite – Eating less than usual – Lost weight without trying – Feeling less strong than usual. 2. Eat at least three meals per day plus snacks that include protein. Protein foods are meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, tofu, seeds, beans and lentils, or nuts and nut butters. You can learn more about protein foods at Canada.ca/FoodGuide. If you think you may be at risk, ask your healthcare provider about nutrition screening. It is easy to do and takes only 5-10 minutes. Screening can identify nutrition or health concerns early and prevent more serious health problems. If you would like to learn more about nutrition screening, watch this Alberta Health Services’ video ‘Nutrition Screening: Let’s Talk about It’ at: bit.ly/3OrzduF. Anyone can be trained to do the screening. If you support older adults in the community and want to learn about providing nutrition screening, go to ahs.ca/malnutrition. Oct. 2-6 is Canadian Malnutrition Awareness Week. The theme this year is ‘Stronger Together’ with a focus on teamwork across different healthcare settings. If you are a healthcare provider and want to enhance your knowledge about malnutrition care, go to nutritioncareincanada.ca Want to speak with a Registered Dietitian? Call Health Link at 811 and ask to speak to a dietitian or complete a self-referral form at ahs.ca/811. Pat MacIntosh is a Registered Dietitian with Alberta Health Services, Population and Public Health. To learn more, contact publichealthnutrition.southzone@ahs.ca 25-24
