In the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, researchers studied the association between poor nutrition and/or poor physical function related to mortality in hospitalized elderly patients. A total of 597 hospitalized elderly subjects with an average age of 84 were assessed for their nutritional status and physical function.

The scientists reported that patients with malnutrition or risk of malnutrition had a 116 percent higher risk of mortality. Furthermore, those with frailty had a 292 percent increased risk.

You would think malnutrition would be a thing of the past. But that’s simply not true. I’ve seen many elderly patients who are malnourished.

Part of the reason is that as we age, the urge to eat and drink diminishes. Many elderly people simply do not have the drive to eat. If they are inactive, the urge to eat and exercise diminishes even more.

It’s not uncommon to diagnose elderly patients with malnutrition even though they are living on their own. When I ask them why they’ve lost weight, a common answer is, “Because I'm not hungry.”

It’s important to ensure that elderly people have healthy food available and that they are encouraged to eat.

Malnourishment should not occur in America. We have enough food to prevent it.