CHAPTER 7. NUTRITION 173 TABLE 7.2 D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-E Checklist to Help older Adults Identify Symptoms of Nutritional Problems The Nutrition Checklist is Based on the Warning Signs Described Below. Use the Word D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-E to Remind You of the Warning Signs O Disease Any disease, illness, or chronic condition that causes you to change the way you eat, or makes it hard for you to eat, puts your nutritional health at risk. Four out of five adults have chronic diseases that affected by diet. Confusion or memory loss that keeps getting worse is estimated to affect one out of five or more of older adults. This can make it hard to remember what, when, or if you have eaten. Feeling sad or depressed, which happens to about one in eight older adults, can cause big changes in appetite, digestion, energy level, weight and well-being D Eating poorly Eating too little and eating too much both lead to poor health. Eating the same foods day after day or not eating fruit, vegetables and milk products daily will also cause poor nutritional health, One in five adults skip meals daily. Only 13% of adults eat the minimum amount of fruit and vegetables needed. One in four older adults drink too much alcohol. Many health problems become worse if you drink more than one or two alcoholic beverages per day. a Tooth loss/ mouth pain A healthy mouth, teeth, and gums are needed to eat. Missing, loose or rotten teeth, or dentures which do not fit well or cause mouth sores, make it hard to eat D Economic hardship As many as 40% of older Americans have incomes of less than $6000 per year. Having less-or choosing to spend less-than $25-30 per week for food makes it very hard to get the foods you need to stay healthy Q Reduced social contact One-third of all older people live alone. Being with people daily has a positive effect on morale, well-being, and eating D Multiple medicines Many older Americans must take medicines for health problems. Almost half of older Americans take multiple medicines daily Growing old may change the way we respond to drugs. The more medicines you take, the greater the chance of side effects, such as increased or decreased appetite, change in taste, constipation, weakness, drowsiness diarrhea nausea, and others. Vitamins or minerals. when taken in large doses, act like drugs and can cause harm t your docto to everything you take (c cd)