Singapore, Sep 02, 2010: New data presented by a nationwide survey on the dietary habits of elderly Singaporeans, revealed that nearly 30 percent of the elderly are at moderate to high risk of malnutrition. The Ensure Life Nutritional Survey assessed 421 respondents aged over 50 years, who reflected the general population in Singapore, including all the three major racial groups.

The survey was commissioned by Abbott, the global health care company and the manufacturer of Ensure, and was carried out from February 2010 to March 2010, to better understand the dietary habits and nutritional health status of the elderly.

Nutrition risk predisposes the elderly to frailty, which is associated with an increased risk of falls and fractures, a decreased ability to complete daily activities, increased fatigue, and ultimately greater dependency and disability.

The number of elderly respondents at moderate and high nutritional risk also increases with age.

Dr Chan Kin Ming, founder and vice president, Society for Geriatric Medicine, Singapore, said, “Data confirms there is a gap in the nutritional needs of the elderly, though they may be seemingly healthy. It is critical that the elderly eat complete and balanced diets, to ensure they do not develop marginal nutritional deficiencies, which, over time, make them prone to frailty, falls, infections, depression, symptoms of pain, muscle loss and poor wound healing. These factors may lead to longer recovery times and higher healthcare costs.”