March is nutrition month, reminding us of the importance of eating well and the benefit nutrition has on our health and well-being. Hélène Payette, Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) lead site investigator at the University of Sherbrooke, discusses the impact proper nutrition has on health as we age and how that impact is measured in the CLSA.

1) How important is healthy eating as we age?

A healthy diet is as important during the last part of our life as it was at the very beginning.  Indeed, at both extremes of life, the body undergoes significant changes that require special attention to the quantity and the quality of food.  For instance, we know now that the intake of protein from meat, fish or milk products should increase as a person ages in order to prevent weight loss and decrease in muscle mass.

2) You’re currently the principal investigator for the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition as a Determinant of Successful Aging (NuAge).  What has this study found so far?

Our work has highlighted that appetite was a key factor for a good diet. Indeed, the NuAge participants, aged 68-82 years, who reported having a good appetite, were consuming more proteins, vitamins and minerals essential for good health. A good appetite was also associated with greater muscle strength and better mobility.  So "whet your appetite, anything goes!"  Other factors, such as nutrition knowledge and eating three regular meals a day, also ensured a better quality diet.

Our results also indicate that consumption of foods rich in some vitamins, such as vitamin C or E may protect older people against chronic conditions, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Alzheimer's disease).

3) How is nutrition being measured in the CLSA?

In CLSA, we have developed a special tool to measure the adequacy of food intake, the Short Dietary Questionnaire.  This questionnaire asks for usual frequency of consumption of key foods that can have an impact on health while aging.  Other measures, such as body fat and muscle along with blood content of vitamins or minerals will inform researchers about the nutritional status of CLSA participants.

4) What do you hope to achieve with this information from the CLSA?

We hope to get a better understanding about which foods can promote physical and mental health, and optimal functioning as people age.  Furthermore, information gathered will help us to clarify how we could help people to maintain a “healthy” diet in face of disease, reduced mobility, smell and taste alteration, sadness or isolation, as well as other social and environmental factors which could influence access to good food in sufficient quantity. 

5) What are some of the barriers to getting proper nutrition?

 As mentioned above, physical and social changes occur in the course of aging and these changes impact directly the capacity of people to eat sufficient good quality food.  Diseases, oral health, fear of gaining weight, reduced ability to shop for and prepare meals, grief of losing friends and loneliness are some of them.   In order to overcome these food-related barriers, adaptation of dietary behaviours to these changes is necessary but sometimes difficult to implement. Furthermore, as people age they tend to decrease physical activity because of lack of interest or encouragement, or pain resulting in decreased appetite and food intake. 

6) What are some of the things people can do to ensure they maintain adequate nutrition as they age?

Eat a large variety of foods, with pleasure and in good company, and continue to be active in order to maintain a good appetite.

Improve your nutrition with the help of Canada’s Food Guide. For more information, visit:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php