Hormonal
Healthy aging is associated with an impaired ability to regulate energy intake, specifically through reduced hunger perception and increased post-meal satiation, leading to an inability to compensate for energy deficits and resulting in involuntary weight loss.
If you are older and experiencing unintentional weight loss, do not rely on hunger cues to tell you when to eat, as these signals are biologically impaired. You must eat on a schedule and prioritize energy-dense, palatable foods to maintain weight, as your body will not naturally compensate for missed meals.
The ability of older adults to accurately regulate energy intake is impaired... elderly men had neither of these responses [decreasing intake after overfeeding or increasing after underfeeding]... elderly subjects only gained back 20% of the weight they lost on average.
Why this rating
Based on a synthesis of multiple controlled human feeding studies and animal models, though some mechanisms are inferred.
Source
Nutrition and Aging: Changes in the Regulation of Energy Metabolism With Aging
Susan B. Roberts et al. · Physiological Reviews · 2006
DOI 10.1152/physrev.00019.2005
More from this paper
- Age-related declines in taste and smell acuity reduce dietary variety and palatability, which contributes to reduced energy intake and impaired energy regulation in older adults.Good
- Altered glucose and insulin homeostasis in older adults, including elevated postprandial glucose and insulin, delays the return of hunger and contributes to reduced energy intake.Moderate
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