It’s known that eating right can improve and extend lives, but what “eating right” entails isn’t always clear. This is especially true for seniors, whose nutritional needs are different than any other age group.

Here are 10 myths about senior nutrition that are commonly accepted as the truth, but have been disproved. Learn more about these myths so that you and your family can start eating right and improving your health.

10 Senior Nutrition Myths

The right diet and nutritional intake is arguably more important for seniors than for any other age group. Seniors have unique nutritional needs that can only be addressed when they are understood. Unfortunately, many false beliefs about a senior’s nutritional needs exist. Be aware of these myths so that seniors can start eating right or improving their health in other ways.

Here are 10 common but false beliefs about senior nutrition:

 

Myth #1: It’s Natural For Older People to Lose Their Appetite

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It’s true that seniors need less food than younger adults because of metabolic changes and decreased energy output, but an outright loss of appetite is not normal, and could be a sign of serious health problem.

What’s more, simple causes such as a decreased sense of taste or dental problems can lead to seniors eating less and make it appear as though their appetite has decreased when it hasn’t. Seniors should weigh themselves (or be weighed by their caregivers) periodically to look for changes. Any sudden weight loss should be seen as a red-flag and warrants a visit to the doctor.

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Myth #2: Being Moderately Overweight is a Sign of Robust Health

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While one highly publicized study suggested that those who are moderately overweight have slightly longer lifespans, other studies, such as one at Oxford University, associated being moderately overweight with a decreased lifespan. The overweight, or obese, are said to experience lifespans 10 years less than average according to the Oxford study.