The ubiquitous food pyramid we recognize from health class and the back of cereal boxes has been reinvented — this time for persons over age 70.
“We know that older people need fewer calories because they tend to be less active and their body composition changes,” says Alice H. Lichtenstein, D.Sc., one of the developers of the new pyramid and a faculty member at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. “Yet nutrient needs stay the same or even increase, so we need to select foods that provide the most nutrients per serving. We also know that as individuals age, they lose the sensation of thirst.”
Based on these premises, Lichtenstein, colleague Robert M. Russell, M.D., associate director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts and a nutrition school faculty member; and Helen Rasmussen, M.S., R.D., an HNRCA research dietitian and nutrition faculty member, decided to collaborate on developing the Modified Food Pyramid for 70+ Adults. “We now have more information than we had 10 or 20 years ago,” says Russell. “A lot of the credit goes to researchers right here at the HNRCA who have documented the nutritional status of the elderly, what they eat, and the impact of specific nutrients on aging. We were able to develop a pyramid that is based on actual research.”
The base of the pyramid is eight, 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day to prevent constipation and dehydration. “Because older people often don’t feel as thirsty as younger persons, they are at increased risk of becoming dehydrated,” says Lichtenstein. “We wanted to remind them to get enough fluid, like soup and juice, as well as water.”
The pyramid is narrower than the traditional pyramid because older individuals are less active and require less food to maintain the same weight. However, they do require higher levels of specific nutrients like antioxidants to defend against free radical damage associated with aging, Vitamin D and calcium to keep bones strong, and folic acid to retain mental acuity and reduce the incidences of stroke and heart disease. To get these vital nutrients, the pyramid emphasizes nutrient-dense foods like darker-colored vegetables and fruits that have higher levels of vitamins.
“We suggest eating dark, leafy greens like spinach, orange and yellow vegetables like sweet potatoes and squash, and colorful fruit like strawberries and mangos that are more rich in Vitamins A and C and in folic acid,” says Russell. Potatoes are not pictured in the pyramid because they are filling but less nutritious. Other nutrient-dense choices include romaine lettuce rather than iceberg, and peaches, apricots, or nectarines rather than apples, celery, or cucumbers.
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