Define the Nutritional shortcomings among the elderly?
Nutritional shortcomings are common among the elderly; most often due to poor choice of foods i.e. they may be consuming least nutritious choices in each food group. Consumption of refined cereals like white bread and 'naan' etc., instead of whole wheat flour chapatti and fruit juice instead of whole fruit deprives the elderly person of the essential and vital nutrients and fibre. Elderly also tend to eat fewer servings of the recommended foods groups which leads lo inadequacy of not only the total calories but also of several micronutrients. Certain culinary practices like overcooking of vegetables to make then soft, washing after culling ad discarding excess of water in which they were cooked, further leads to leaching of nutrients.