Introduction

As people age, their nutritional needs change. Consequently, older people may develop a nutritional disorder, even when they follow standard nutritional recommendations.

Nutritional disorders may result from eating too little or too much food. Or they may result from eating too little or too much of a particular nutrient, such as a vitamin or mineral. Nutritional disorders may also develop when the body cannot use the nutrients it gets, regardless of whether a person eats appropriate amounts of a variety of foods.