How do age-related changes in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract affect nutritional status in older adults?

Answer 1

Age-Related changes in the GI tract affect nutritional status, especially in older adults. Aging muscles become less responsive to neural signals, which can impact digestive functions such as swallowing and peristalsis. In fact, difficulty swallowing is a common cause of choking in the elderly. The threat or experience of this frightening and life-threatening event can compel older adults to avoid eating certain foods altogether. Preparing foods so that they are moist and soft can help prevent choking. Decreased GI motility can also lead to constipation. Fecal material that remains in the colon for a prolonged period can become hard and compacted, making it difficult to eliminate. Drinking adequate amounts of fluids and eating fiber-rich foods can improve GI function and help prevent this problem. With increased age comes a decline in the number of stomach cells that produce gastric juice. This can reduce the bioavailability of nutrients such as calcium, iron, biotin, folate, vitamin B12, and zinc.