•Problems of nutritional deficiency and excess
are common in ageing
populations and frequently co-exist in patients
•
•The commonest cause of undernutrition is poor
dietary intake but
alcohol excess, illness and medical drugs are also factors
•
•Both types of problem are under-recognised
•
•Both under and overnutrition can be detected
by careful history (diet,
risk factors and symptoms), examination and investigation
•
•Many such problems are preventable &
treatable but the value of treating and the best method of doing so are not
clear
•
•Nutrition decline and excess can also be part
of the ageing process
and may develop in terminal situations
•
•Doctors, patients and society in general need
to decide just how far
they can go in assessing and managing these problems