Jane’s 81-year-old father seemed to have lost all interest in food. She worried about his health and nutrition, but didn’t know what to do.

The fact is eating is vital to a person’s well-being, and not eating enough can be damaging to one’s health at any age, said Marie Bernard, MD. Bernard is a geriatric specialist with OU Physicians Senior Health Center and chair of the Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatrics at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

“The first thing you should do is to consult your loved one’s physician as soon as possible to see if there is something medical that needs to be addressed,” she said. “Older men have a greater tendency towards depression, so older men who have a significantly decreased appetite should also be evaluated for depression. However, it’s important to remember that there are many things that can cause an older adult to lose his or her appetite including medications and undiagnosed illnesses."

Bernard said any number of factors may contribute to a loss of appetite with age.

These include: difficulty chewing, stomach upset, medications that may make foods taste different or bad, an inability to shop or cook and older adults who live alone may get lonely at mealtime.

“That’s why it is important to talk to your loved one’s physician so that you can rule out any medical factors that may impact appetite,” she added.

If an older relative is simply not hungry, Connie Stacy, R.N., clinical service coordinator for Grace Living Centers in Oklahoma recommended serving foods that stimulate the appetite.

“For some reason, bacon is something that stimulates our brain into thinking about food,” she explained. “We have found that when people smell bacon frying, they automatically tend to get hungry. We also know that favorite foods can be enticing and help encourage one to eat.”

Stacy and Bernard both suggest talking to the person with decreased appetite about eating and to be encouraging.

“Stock up on foods they like to eat and consider eating several meals a week with your elderly loved ones,” added Stacy. “You might also try providing smaller portions more frequently. Many times an elder will say that the portions are too large and ‘turn off’ the appetite. In this instance, small may be more appetizing. Offering finger foods and easy-to-digest food might also be helpful.”

Stacy and Bernard stressed it is critical to first identify the reason why someone is not eating as much as he or she should. In addition to a health work-up, a visit to the dentist might be advisable to make sure mouth pain or ill-fitting dentures are not contributing to your father’s decreased appetite.

For more information on eating well as one ages, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has created a special pamphlet. It is available online at: "http://www.fda.gov/opacom/lowlit/eatage.pdf"