Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-05-11
Study Given
Diets for Old
By Scientists
Greater Attention Paid
TO Aged Folks Food
BY DIR. LOGAN CLENDENING

COME philosopher has said
~ that man should go out Of
life dietetically as he came into
it-on milk.
This seems to be. funda-
mentally at least in conformity
with modern scientific nutri-
tional advice.
We are paying more and more
attention to the diseases OF old
people. which is quite natural
considering the increase In our
aged population.
A number of scie tific
treatises have appeared Of late
I'm the field of geriatrics, which
is the speciality of the treatment
of the elderly. and among these
studies have been scientific in
vestigations of the dietetic ad-
justments which must be made
for the aged.
In the first place. the total
amount of food required is re-
duced rapidly after the age
of 60.
From so TO Is years the total
caloric requirement is estimated
as 10 per cent less than in youth
and middle age.
For those over Is il would be
20 per cent less.
THERE are certain elements
l. in food which old people
probably need more of than
would be indicated by their
weight and by the total food
intake.
Protein, that Is to say meat.
eggs and milk. should be kept
at least as high as that Of a
young person.
The digestion Of elderly people
Is poor and their absorption of
minerals and vitamins is often
not as good as normal.
They are inclined 10 show de-
ficiencies of calcium, phosphorus,
iron and iodine.
Calcium can be found in milk,
which brings us back 10 our
original statement that the diet
of old age should be the diet of
infancy.
Cheese is also a good food for
elderly people because il is easy
TO digest and rich in calcium.
MILK is a poor source of iron,
4'A and in the aged. iron should
be furnished, and. in fact, pushed
in the form of green vegetables
and fruit. Sea foods contain
iodine.
The diet may contain plenty
of vitamins, but it is notorious
that vitamin deficiencies can
come from lack of absorption
and in the diet Of the aged there
should be especial care on the
part of the dietitian 10 see that
the vitamin content is high.
1t is well 10 space the meals
of those over go with at least
four and one-half hours between
meals and three meals a day.
The meals should be approx
mately equal in calorieS without
any one large meal that would
overtax the digestive system.
THE following menu is sug-
Il gested for a Sedentary pa
tent Is years old:
Breakfast: Orange juice. y
cup; rolled oats. cooked. u cup:
whole milk. cup: egg. / me-
dunn sized; bacon, crisp. 2i2
slices; toast. / slice: butter.
square, marmalade. 2 teaspoon
fuls; cream. ! tablespoonful.
sugar, 2 tesspoonfuls; coffee. /
cup.
Lunch: Bread ] slice: butter.
] square: tomato, y cup: peas,
young, canned. y cup; potato.
size OF 2 eggs; meat, medium
fat, ! slice; baked apple, l small:
cream. a tablespoonfuls: sugar.
2 teaSpoonfuls; coffee or tea. /
cup.
Dinner: Bread. / slice. butter.
/ square; string beans, y cup;
beets, 4 cup; sliced bananas,
y medium sized; cream, / Ia
blepsoonful; meat, medium fat,
l slice; milk, So cup; sugar. /
scant teaspoonful; chocolate
cornstarch pudding.
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS
Mrs. E.: My baby is nine
months old. / have changed
from the canned milk formula
to pasteurized milk.
l always thought il necessary
to boil pasteuriZed milk three
minutes, but have been told by
nurse that this is not neceS-
sary.
Which is correct, please?
How long is il necessary TO
boil nursing bottles and nipples I?
l also thought the scum which
forms on top during boiling is
the cream. Is this correct?
Answer: Pasteurized milk is
supposed to be sterile for all
practical purposes and il is
therefore unnecessary 10 boil it.
Nipples and bottles should be
boiled Tor three minutes after
the water comes to q boil.
The scum that forms on the
surface of boiled milk is protein
and not cream. II can be
SKINNED off without doing any
Snacia1 bary,,