Aging Adults Need Extra Protein When Ailing

There is a growing consensus among scientists that older adults should eat more protein while ailing, trying to lose weight, or facing a hospitalization, according to the Cape Cod Times . Even older adults enjoying good health need more protein than younger adults to preserve their muscle mass, but they especially need more protein when facing stressful situations because their bodies process protein less efficiently. Older adults who eat more protein are less likely to lose functioning and therefore can enjoy greater independence for a longer amount of time than their counterparts who eschew protein because of a lost appetite, dental issues, or a myriad of other reasons. In 2013, an international cohort of scientists and nutritionists issued a recommendation that healthy older adults eat 1-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day, while older adults with acute or chronic diseases should eat 1.2-1.5 grams daily per kilogram of body weight.