'Healthy
Aging': American Dietetic Association calls White House
Conference on Aging an opportunity to focus attention on
role of nutrition in older people's health
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 /U.S.
Newswire/ -– The 2005 White House Conference on Aging offers
an outstanding opportunity to focus the nation's attention
on the crucial role of nutrition in the "healthy aging" of
our nation's population, according to the food and nutrition
experts of the American Dietetic Association.
"Healthy aging is a
priority for ADA," said registered dietitian and ADA
President Rebecca S. Reeves, one of 13 ADA members who are
delegates to the White House Conference. "Good nutrition is
essential to health, independence and quality of life of
older adults."
One of the draft
resolutions for consideration at the conference, being held
Dec. 11 through 14 in Washington, D.C., relates directly to
nutrition and was included as a result of advocacy by the
American Dietetic Association: "Promote the importance of
nutrition in health promotion and disease prevention and
management."
Reeves said implementation
of more than 20 additional draft resolutions could benefit
from services provided by dietetics professionals,
including:
-- Reauthorization of the
federal Older Americans Act, which expired in September.
-- Promote innovative
models of non-institutional long-term care.
-- Improve access to care
for older adults living in rural areas.
-- Apply evidence-based
research to the delivery of health and social services where
appropriate.
-- Prevent disease and
promote healthier lifestyles through educating providers and
consumers.
-- Improve health and
quality of life through disease management and chronic care
coordination.
-- Strengthen and improve
Medicare and Medicaid.
ADA has identified
numerous nutrition and health challenges facing older
adults, including:
-- Nearly 90 percent of
older adults have diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia or a
combination of these chronic diseases, all of which can be
treated through nutrition interventions.
-- Seventy percent of the
physical decline among older adults with chronic disease is
associated with modifiable risk factors, such as nutrition
and smoking.
-- Forty percent of people
age 65 and over living in community settings have inadequate
nutrient intakes.
-- Food and nutrition
services tend to be provided to older adults through a
patchwork of health-care and social support systems, not
through a comprehensive, consistent approach.
"Dietetics professionals
are exceptionally qualified to work with older adults,
helping maintain their quality of life," Reeves said. "We
provide medical nutrition therapy that lessens people's risk
of chronic diseases, slows disease progression and reduces
symptoms. According to the Administration on Aging, keeping
an older adult in the hospital one day equals the cost of
home-delivered meals for the same person for one year. And
good nutrition can prevent many of the reasons older adults
are hospitalized in the first place, including dehydration,
falls, pressure ulcers and unintended weight loss."
With nearly 65,000
members, the Chicago-based American Dietetic Association
serves the public by promoting optimal health and well-
being. Visit ADA at
http://www.eatright.org.