Body
The article presents a narrative review summarizing consistent evidence concerning healthy dietary habits and maintaining a healthy weight in adults and more aged adults. The information was examined based on data from previous research conducted in North America and Europe. The analysis indicated that mean intakes of such elements as zinc, vitamin B-6, and calcium were increasingly inadequate in the older population. Compared to the presently available nutritional standards, the diets of more than half of the adults aged >50 years old did not align with the recommendations. The prevalent results of the review suggest that a healthy diet and weight management can delay the onset of diseases associated with aging and control the progression and severity of some conditions.
Assessment
The article was published in an international review journal, Advances in Nutrition, on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition. The review was supported by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), the AARP Foundation, and the Agricultural Research Service, and no financial biases were noted. Each contributed author collaborated with various organizations, including Danone, Pfizer, and Nestlé, and the team utilized data from 175 sources, such as World Health Organization, National Prevention Council, and considerable scholarly papers.
The review indicated similarities between the findings of different studies. For instance, the authors imply that the results of some prior research corresponded with national biochemical data showing that more than 30% of the older population had a deficiency of ≥1 micronutrient. Although the analysis was based on information from Europe and North America, the authors concentrated on the US but stated that low micronutrient intakes were likely to be a global phenomenon.
The article addressed an important topic concerning the relations between dietary patterns, weight, and diseases among adults and older adults. While not conducting specific research themselves, the contributors found correlations between earlier studies by contributing material and preparing figures within their area of expertise. The authors expressed the need for further examination to develop nutrient and food group suggestions for healthy aging. The review focused on dietary practices and standards alongside some socioeconomic factors affiliated with unhealthy nutrition. Despite not revealing much new information, the article provided sufficient recommendations based on the completed summarization.
Reference
Roberts, S., Silver, R., Das, S. K., Fielding, R., Gilhooly, C., Jacques, P., Kelly, J., Mason, J., McKeown, N., Reardon, M., Rowan, S., Saltzman, E., Shukitt-Hale, B., Smith, C., Taylor, A., Wu, D., Zhang, F. F., Panetta, K., & Booth, S. (2021). Healthy aging—nutrition matters: Start early and screen often. Advances in Nutrition, 12(4), 1438-1448. Web.