Nutrition and Aging

Nutrition and Aging is a collection of papers presented at the Fifth Bristol-Myers Symposium on Nutrition Research, held in Boston, Massachusetts from October 31 to November 1, 1985. Contributors discuss the significant influence of nutrition on aging, and specifically the role of nutrition in preventing and limiting the physical, mental, and emotional problems associated with the aging process. This book reviews findings that include the effects of the aging process on the body's physiological functions and the effects of nutrient intake on organ function. Consideration is also given to the gap between the documented nutrient intake and nutrient needs of the elderly as it may influence the aging process. The first chapter is a brief overview of the variety of problems that have to be resolved in determining the role of nutrition in aging. The discussion then turns to the relationship of nutrition to changes in physiological function during the aging process, along with factors that influence the nutrient needs of the elderly. The final chapters focus on the impact of nutrition on the etiology of age-related degenerative diseases. This book will be of interest to scientists as well as students and researchers engaged in nutrition research and its growing importance to the prevention and treatment of disease.