Definition
Anorexia of aging is the decrease in appetite and/or food intake that occurs in late life and leads to inability to maintain normal body weight. The term “anorexia of aging” was coined to describe the reduction in appetite and/or food intake that occurs in late life (Landi et al. 2016).
Overview
The reduction of appetite and food intake in late life is one of the most common conditions that characterize the aging process. Anorexia of aging is the term coined to define this phenomenon. Anorexia of aging may have detrimental effects on health status and is associated with poorer quality of life, reduced ability to cope with environmental stressors, increased morbidity (and reduced ability to recover from illnesses), and greater risk of dying from any causes. Anorexia of aging has multiple causes, including health problems associated with aging (oral/dental issues, gastrointestinal problems), acute or chronic...
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Calvani, R., Picca, A., Marzetti, E. (2019). Anorexia of Aging. In: Gu, D., Dupre, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_118-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_118-1
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