Hello! I work as a doctor for 21 years. My name is George O. Sapego. This article will tell you about what to do with the old man if he suddenly lost weight.
When the old man is losing weight for no apparent reason, it is always suspicious. Even if he was obese, and he lost, then rejoice too early. Why it happens to be sorted out.
Even if weight loss was planned and deliberate, you still need to very closely track the case.
What needs to be done immediately
You need to immediately start recording the weight. So that the decline has been seen in several dimensions. Doctors have your word can not believe. This is normal because most people lie about their weight. They lie about the increase and decrease in weight and about. It is better if it is a piece of paper on which a few dates and the corresponding weight will be recorded.
Measure the volume of the shoulder. Just a measuring tape, measure the volume of the shoulder in the middle of the distance between the shoulder and elbow joints. If the amount is less than 22 cm for women and less than 23 cm for men, it looks like a lack of food.
Appetite
It should be detailed to interrogate the old man of appetite and eating habits. How fast it is saturated, that prefers to eat, the number of meals, the amount per serving of food, snacks throughout the day and all that. It is better to burn.
The doctor will conduct a survey
Most likely the doctor will look for weight loss reasons. Remember in the last article talked about the cachexia of chronic diseases? Doctor will prescribe a bunch of laboratory tests and possibly x-rays of the chest or abdomen. Such a survey is not always helpful, but it is simple and it is done in any clinic.
Often in this survey do not find anything. If you do not find that with some likely to be directed to the tomogram of the chest or abdomen. It's a long, expensive, and not always this idea to visit your doctor. This is an optional examination, but that's sometimes found malignancies.
If the old man complains that quickly eats, or "food does not climb," they will do a gastroscopy.
Colonoscopy in older people losing weight do not usually do, because of colon cancer lose weight very late.
How to gain weight
It is necessary that the old man spent fewer calories than it receives.
Calculation of daily energy intake in kilocalories for the elderly
For women: 354.1 - (6.91 * age in years) + coefficient * (9.36 * Weight in kg + 726 * height in meters).
For men: 661.8 - (9.53 * age in years) + coefficient * (15.91 * weight in kg + 539.6 * height in meters).
Factor necessary for the correction of the level of physical activity:
sedentary lifestyle - 1.0
Low Activity - 1.12
active people - 1.27
very active - 1.45
I'm not old and not even the elderly, found this formula and get 3100 calories. Tried to count?
Protein
This is very important and very difficult. For men and women older than 50 years of daily protein needs 0.8 g / kg body weight. It is more than it seems. Need to get to your normal diet, you have added 10 - 40 g some extra protein.
abolition of restrictions
Allow the elderly have all that they want. When the conducted research, it turns out that 75% of dieters elderly were somewhat limited. Relatives them something specifically prohibited.
Even for patients with diabetes in the elderly losing weight, doctors often recommend to control blood sugar and choose the right treatment, but it is allowed to eat everything, including sweets.
Help
Many elderly people need help not only in the purchase of products or the preparation of food, but also help in literally eating. Something cut into small pieces, apply a glass with a spoon to feed. It's quite common. And it's hard. If someone is feeding your old man, make sure he does it. Because in such feeding for an average estimated out 30 - 40 minutes. Neither every assistant have the patience to feed harmful grandmother. From this grandmother can lose weight.
Feed the elderly that they like.
Increase the energy density of food. To add a protein (which is terribly difficult), add in the food except meat has dried milk, whey protein (which sports nutrition), eggs, cottage cheese, soy cheese.
In vegetables, pasta or pan pour more good vegetable oil. This increases the caloric intake.
Add snacks during the day between meals.
Let's elderly multivitamin complexes with trace elements. At this age, vitamins prescribed much bolder than in the young.
Palmed off elderly liquid food like some maloezhki. These things are tasty and very nutritious. In this liquid food can be washed down with a normal meal. The old man and does not understand that he was in the glass slipped an extra portion of food.
Be sure to discuss all of this with your doctor. On any old man's badness there are medications that increase appetite. Ask about them with your doctor.
Put huskies, subscribe to my RSS feed and read my articles on related topics:
Why old people do not eat, and what this means
senile fragility
How to improve the tone of the old people
What is considered normal aging
