Background:
Ageing is associated with a reduction in appetite and food intake, which is termed the 'anorexia of ageing'. The anorexia of old age may be caused by physiological, psychological, medical or social factors.
Objectives:
Simplified Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ) is a simple screening tool to predict weight loss in the elderly. The purpose of this work is to investigate whether the SNAQ influence by each factor differently. This will provide us with a key to the main factor, which causes anorexia of old age, and how to take care of it, prevent, or delay the anorexia of old age and its implications.
Hypothesis:
The different factors that cause the anorexia of old age have varying impact on unwanted weight loss.
Methods:
100 independently living elders in the community and parent homes, aged 70 + years.
The recruitment will be performed by applying to parent homes, day care centers, and recruitment from the community.
Criterion to enroll – men and women age 70+ years, living in parent homes, day care centers, and from the community. Full or partly functioning.
Criterion for excluded - chronic diarrhea (over 3 days), cancer patients who are receiving radiation, or chemotherapy treatment, or are suffering from dementia, or enteral nutrition.
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