. Through its community feeding and outreach programmes, we have observed that a number of the older persons it serves show visible signs of poor nutrition, prompting this nutritional assessment.
Undernutrition in old age is a recognised public health concern. Most elderly persons undergo undernutrition due to a range of circumstances, including household food insecurity, reduced appetite associated with ageing, psychosocial stress, bereavement or isolation, and underlying medical conditions such as chronic illness, poor dentition and impaired mobility that limit food access, intake and absorption. At the same time, some older persons present with overweight and obesity linked to inactivity and dietary patterns, which also requires nutritional attention.
