Nutritional Needs of Older Adults with Obesity

We all experience normal physiological and metabolic changes as we age, including loss of muscle mass, that can impact functioning and quality of life. When combined with obesity or overweight, these changes can be magnified, causing even greater functional losses and decreases in quality of life. An all-too-often approach of simply limiting caloric intake to lose weight may further heighten these risks. As such, older adults seeking to lose weight need a balanced diet that will support loss of excess adiposity while preserving muscle. As vital members of the patient care team, dietitians can support older adults seeking to lose weight to ensure that their nutrient needs are met while on their weight loss journey. Additionally, these professionals can support the older adult to address social, environmental, and economic risk factors that often go unrecognized yet play an enormous role in healthy dietary patterns. In this podcast episode, Dr. Kathryn N. Porter Starr, an expert review panelist of the GSA KAER Toolkit on the Management of Obesity in Older Adults, explores complex issues around dietary needs of older adults, including the importance of assessing for and addressing sarcopenia, and highlights how comprehensive nutritional care can support function, independence, and quality of life while enabling the older adult to reach and maintain their desired body weight.   Download the Transcript Guest: Kathryn N. Porter Starr, PhD, MS, RDN  Assistant Professor of Medicine–Geriatrics, Duke University School of Medicine  Research Health Scientist, Durham VA Health System, Durham, North Carolina  Host: Jennifer Pettis, MS, RN, CNE Director of Strategic Alliances, The Gerontological Society of America  This podcast episode is supported by Novo Nordisk. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).