A Chinese proverb said that money can not make one thin in his/her old age,it means that while people in old age,it is rare precious and benefit for them to be not so fat. Nowadays obesity trends to be popular, and there is a common cognition that obesity is harm to health, and it may bring out diseases like diabetes and hypertension. However, it doesn’t mean that thinner is better. With the age increasing, their body compositon and endocrine hormone change, and their digestive system and other body function are declining. If the diet is unreasonable and excessive restrictions,then may easy caused weight loss and malnutrition, which is without benefit and bad for your health. The research shows that a little overweight and mild obesity will help elder people to build up resistance to disease and reduce fracture in some degree, it is also good for preventing various diseases.
So elder people should have weighing scale at home, and after wake up in the morning, empty the urine and stool, then measure the weight. If can’t do these measure everyday, at least do once one week. The health weight is not only associated with your own body weight, but also has a close relationship with your height. Body mass index is a measure standard of whether the body is fat or thin in the normal range, referred as BMI. The computing method is to use the weight(kilos) divide by height's(meters) square, and the normal range is 18.5-25. For example, somebody's weight is 60 kilos, and height is 1.65 meters, so the BMI=60/1.65/1.65=22.47. You can also use simple calculation method as below.
Male Height(centimeter)-105=weight(kilos)
Female Height(centimeter)-100=weight(kilos)
And if the actual weight is in the range of +/- 15% of the standard weight, it would be normal, otherwise you would be too thin or overweight.
The following situation that thin elderly people may have. One kind is physique emaciated, and has been like these for many years without the change of weight or any abnormalities, and this is often associated with heredity. Of course, weight is influenced by factors like diet, sleep and psychology. In a period of time, food intake is insufficient such as dietary bias, meal skipping, irregular life, high pressure, mental stress, overfatigue and sadness may also lead to weight loss. If the diet, living and labor are basically constant, the weight is still dramatic declining in a short time, you should be alert to the diseases. Though obesity is not good, suddently become thin at unknown reasons is a warning sign that your body may get some problems, which are often casued by some obvious diseases. You should get to hospital immediately and do further checking.
The common etiology that elderly people get thin is the digestive and endocrine diseases. Malignant tumor especially digestive cancer would consume a lot of nutrients, but the intake is insufficiency, digestion and absorption diminished, so it may caused progressive weight loss. Chronic gastrointestinal diseases such as chronic gastritis, ulcer disease, chronic enteritis and so on may also caused the loss of weight. Type 2 diabetes, a considerable part of elderly patients with diabetes but three more symptom(drink more, urine more and eat more) is not so obvious, the only obvious thing is too thin, it should be routinely test empty stomach and postprandial blood glucose to rule out diabetes. The elderly suffer from hyperthyroidism, and the symptoms are not typical, often manifested as progressive weight loss, inappetence and diarrhea. Due to atypical symptoms, the misdiagnosis rate is high. Some infectious diseases may also cause weight loss and even emaciation. The elderly often suffer from a variety of chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease, hypertensive cardiac and cerebral disease, degenerative osteoarthropathy and so on. Oral taking multiple drugs among which may damage the gastrointestinal mucosa, bring lower appetite and affect intake and absorption, and these may also make elderly become thinner.
Elderly should be healthy ‘thin’. It is more important for elderly to balance their diets and make sure suitable nutrition structure. Regular living, adequate sleep, combined work and play, diversified food, staple food should add the proper amount of coarse grain, beans and potatoes, 500g vegetables with 250g fruits everyday, fish, poultry, egg, meat and milk, soy products are all needed everyday, which to make sure enough high quality protein. It is better to little added salt and take moderate sweets. Snacks could be added between two meals or before going to bed, and fresh milk, yoghurt, soybean milk, dessert or nut, elderly with low BMI should eat more particularly. The elderly is often with blood deficiency, so while stewing pork soup, you could add 30g angelica sinensis and 15g ginger. The angelica sinensis can nourish the blood, warm and activate the meridian and relax bowel. The ginger can dispell the cold, it is suitable for those people with thin body, lusterless complexion, insomnia and dreamful sleep and sensation of chill. While stewing chicken soup, you could add 30g codonopsis pilosula, 30g radix astragali, 30g ginger and some dates. The codonopsis pilosula could strengthen spleen and tonify lung, and nourish blood. The radix astragali and date can nourish vitality, nourish the blood and calm the nerves, strengthen exterior and reduce sweat. It is suitable for thoese people with thin body and easy to catch a cold, easy feel palpitation and short of breath.
The elderly is characterized by skeletal muscle strength and functional decline, so strengthen nutrition and resistance training are two big weapons for elderly to prevent muscle attenuation. So do not forget that resistance training and endurance training can increase muscle strength and weight of elderly, but remember to do it step by step with persistence within our capabilities.
Money can not make one thin at his/her old age, but elderly with slightly fat would be more younger and healthy.
Source:
LiLi Zhou Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine Master Degree
Director Doctor of Digestive Department, GuangDong Clifford Hospital
Clinical and teaching work in grade 3A hospital for 30 years, she is good at the diagnosis and treatment of various digestive diseases and rescue of critical diseases, she has rich clinical experience and has won many awards and published over 40 papers in various medical journals.
Experts Schedule Wednesday all day, Saturday morning.
Address: Digestive Department,1st floor of Clifford Hospital,3 Hongfu Road, Panyu, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
