How can food support healthy ageing in Europe – key summary
- Europe has highest global proportion of over-65s, straining healthcare systems
- Diet-related illnesses are leading cause of premature death worldwide
- Older adults need more protein to maintain muscle and absorb nutrients
- Omega-3 and marine oils reduce inflammation and support mental health
- Healthy ageing must begin early despite lack of short-term incentives
Europe has a problem: its population is getting older. According to the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), nine out of the 10 countries with the highest percentage of over-65s are in Europe.
This isn’t a problem in itself – indeed, it shows how far medical science has come in keeping people alive for longer – but it puts a cost burden on health services when a greater proportion of their citizens suffer the problems that come with ageing.
The level of cost burden is often dependent on diet. Illnesses related to diet are the leading cause of premature death worldwide, and prior to death itself can put significant strain on health services.
For people to age healthily, it is important that they pay particular attention to their diet.
Nutrient-rich foods can help older people
When people are older, they often struggle to get enough nutrients.
There are numerous reasons for this, explained Isabel Medina, food scientist at El Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), a Spanish research council, at EIT Food’s Next Bite event in Brussels earlier this month.
Often older people do not feel the need to eat, Medina explains, meaning that they do not get the nutrients that they need into their body.
Furthermore, older consumers often lose the capacity to absorb key nutrients. For example, they need to eat more protein than younger people to maintain healthy muscle mass.
For all of these reasons, older people need to consume more nutrient-dense foods than most consumers, especially foods rich in proteins.
How nutrition can support mental health in older consumers
Mental health and nutrition are inextricably interlinked. A number of ingredients – fish, marine oils, omega-3, algae, microalgae, and seaweed – have a positive effect on mental health.
Mental health can be worsened by ageing because of two prevalent issues: oxidative stress and inflammation. Ageing is associated with higher oxidative stress and inflammation, explained Medina, but can be reduced through nutrition.
Inflammation has been linked with depression and fatigue, while oxidative stress has been linked to a number of psychological disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and depression.
Foods such as omega-3 can lower these two factors. Science is still looking into why this is, and this is one of the focuses of Medina’s own research.
The food industry should ensure that fish are raised to contain the right nutrients to reverse inflammation and oxidative stress, Medina suggested.
Healthy ageing starts in youth
To age healthily, consumers must start targeting health from a much younger age.
Yet they often expect immediate rewards, suggested Sara de Pelsmaeker, group director for health and wellbeing at food ingredients company Puratos, at Next Bite.
Therefore, it’s difficult to persuade consumers to start thinking about ageing early, or to target younger consumers through healthy ageing products.
Industry must build an understanding of how healthy ageing works, and what individual foods will bring consumers.
While concerns around healthy ageing may seem like a long way off for many consumers, it’s relevant for everyone. It’s never too early for consumers to start thinking about the right nutrients they need to age well.
