Further information about how to eat well, including budget friendly recipes, can be found on the Preventive Health SA website.
The risks of poor nutrition
Nourishing your body by eating well every day has many benefits, including:
- providing the essential energy and nutrients we need to get through the day
- keeping our immune system strong
- reducing our risk of developing serious health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers or osteoporosis
- improving concentration
- keeping our teeth and gums healthy
- reducing stress and helping to maintain mental health and wellbeing
Kilojoules explained
The food we eat and liquids we drink provide our bodies with energy. This energy is measured in kilojoules (kJ). Eating and drinking well is about more than energy and kilojoules though.
Eating and drinking well helps to nourish our body by:
- providing the essential energy and nutrients we need to get through the day
- keeping our immune system strong
- reducing our risk of developing serious health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers or osteoporosis
- improving concentration
- keeping our teeth and gums healthy
- reducing stress and helping to maintain mental health and wellbeing
Nutrition in later life
Factors associated with poor nutritional health include:
- poor oral health
- dementia
- depression
- social isolation / loneliness
- reduced mobility
- pain
- constipation
- medications
- medical illnesses
Low body weight (BMI < 22kg/m2) or losing weight without trying are indicators that something may be wrong.
It is important that all older people who may be at risk of poor nutritional health discuss their daily food intake with their GP.
Geriatric medicine / older people’s clinics
Geriatric medicine / older people’s clinics at: