The media makes a big deal about eating problems and malnutrition in children and young adults, but you rarely hear about eating issues that involve seniors.  Sadly, while these problems arise from different motives for seniors than they do for young people, they are still fairly prevalent.

There are various reasons why seniors may ignore healthy eating habits.  However, most of them stem from the same problem: they don’t want to admit to the people who love them that they are aging and may no longer be able to take care of themselves.  That’s why it’s important to pay attention to your loved ones and be aware of signs they are not eating properly.  Here are some reasons why seniors may have an eating problem:

* Dental Problems.  We spend a large portion of our life chewing.  This is a natural part of life; however, it causes wear and tear to our teeth and jaws, which may cause some pain and other chewing difficulties later in life.  Many seniors don’t eat simply because it hurts and they don’t want to see a doctor about the problem.

* Loneliness and Depression.  It’s been long known that depression can cause people to eat less and lose weight.  In addition to this, if a senior doesn’t have company at meal times, they often just won’t eat, because eating has always been a social time for them.

* Inability to shop or cook.  While it may seem like a breeze for us, some seniors have physical limitations that keep them from going to the store or cooking their food.  Whether it be that they just can’t walk that far anymore or that their arthritis keeps them from picking up a frying pan, many seniors don’t eat - not because they don’t want to, but because the physically just can’t do it anymore.  While it seems simple enough, asking for help can be embarrassing and hard for many older people.

* Medication.  Today there are many prescriptions and over-the-counter medications that can improve the lives of seniors, but many of these have undesired side effects.  Many seniors have medication that decreases their appetite or upsets their stomach. 

* Money.  A lot of older people have to make tough decisions when it comes to money, and many times this means cutting something out.  In order to pay for other living expenses and prescriptions, many seniors eat less food because they just can’t afford to eat enough.

Unless their parents look extremely thin or pale, most people don’t think to worry about an eating problem.  However, that doesn’t mean it’s not there.  Be sure to watch for signs of malnutrition such as easy bruising, poor healing, and dental problems like rotting teeth.  You should talk to your parents and their doctor regularly so you know what medication they are on and what issues might be keeping them from eating properly.

If you think your parent isn’t getting enough nutrition, talk to their doctor about it.  They may be able to recommend a solution, whether it is medical, or referral to a financial assistance or therapy program. 

While sometimes you will need to take other steps, one of the best ways to spot and treat eating disorders in seniors is to simply eat with them.  Go to their home and cook them dinner, or invite them to your house.  You’ll be helping them and bringing your family closer together.

It is only been in the last few years that the medical community has begun to recognize binge eating as an eating disorder. Although many people are familiar with bulimia, which is recognized when a person binge eats and then purges their system afterwards. With eating disorders like binge eating the pattern of actually trying to get rid of what they have eaten is completely removed from the equation and so makes it a completely different condition altogether.

In fact it is because the person seems to be eating that many people often do not realize that the sufferer is actually having a problem. In fact for many what they see is that they have the choice about what food they eat as well as having control over their bodies.

But when it comes to this particular eating disorder just because they are taking in food they do not actually feel that they are causing any damage to their body. But just as if they were to starve themselves or purge their body after eating they can still suffer from some very serious health problems.

Anyone who suffers from bingeing they will eat large amounts of food and in the same way with bulimia and anorexia places strain on their body, especially to their heart. In fact in many cases a person who binge eats will be more prone to gaining weight rather than actually losing it. But in the majority of cases they will all be extremely unhealthy.

When it comes to binge eating the biggest problem that those who suffer from this problem is that they do not actually realize that it is a problem. In many cases to avoid others realizing what is happening they will do their binge eating in secret, along with eating more food than would be considered normal. This is because they feel that they have complete control over the situation.

With most eating disorders the biggest challenge that sufferers of these will have to face is actually admitting to themselves that they have a problem in the first place. They try to ignore the problem because they do not want to admit that they do not have any control over their life.

Although we all sometimes eat more than we should this is completely different from what a person does when they are binge eating. Unfortunately for a binge eater they just do not have any control over how much food they actually eat along with when and what they actually do eat.

With binge eating their are problems associated with the person’s health including weight gain, they will also be faced with psychological problems. Certainly with any types of eating disorders, incuding binge eating it is the psychological problems which can prevent a person from them improving and curing the problem they are faced with. In many cases they feel that they have the situation under control and it is their choice.

Whether you live on the west coast or the east coast, the silent killer called obesity is aggressively moving through our communities. More than likely, if you are not directly affected, the chances are that you have friends or family members who are loosing control of their weight.

In reality we can all agree that having excess body fat would work to your advantage if you lived in Siberia. Why? Because there, you have to work for your food, brave the cold and brutal weather conditions just to survive. Today in America you almost don’t have to work to do anything. With the advent of remote control entertainment systems, pizza delivery and wireless telephones, the average American never has to leave the sofa.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in looking at childhood obesity and nutrition. Nutritionists estimate that for every point of body mass index a child is overweight by before puberty, the adult that child will grow into will be three points overweight by the time they’re thirty. Type II diabetes, where body stress from overeating builds up resistance to insulin, is becoming more prevalent in teenagers.

Preteens, tweens and teenagers are also prone to body image dysmorphia, driven by peer pressure, social imaging and just the changes their body is going through. Being a teenager is hard enough as it is; it’s even worse when you’re carrying 40 or 60 extra pounds of body weight and alarmingly, the fastest growing market segment for diet products like SlimFast and MediFast are teenaged and younger girls.

On the positive side of things, I want to let you know that there is hope. There is an easy way to solve this downward trend.

Think back to when you were a kid. If there were video game consoles, they were things like the Atari 2600. Your friends came over in person, and you ran around outside and played in the park, running around with the excess energy that all children have.

If you felt tired or felt dehydrated, you immediately reached for a glass of water or milk. Sweets were a treat for good behavior rather than your main course. Snacks did not come prepackaged but rather apples, oranges and bananas were your choice.

While the fast food outlets might not want you to know this, many parents are successfully teaching their kids to make healthy eating decisions. Today however, water too many of our youth is like the library, they’ve heard about it but never fully experienced it. Listen up parents. Sodas, juices or energy drinks are not a substitute for water. When properly hydrated, hunger pangs were shown to decrease significantly compared to those individuals who consumed no water.

When they have snacks, give them fruits and vegetables, or baked goods that are also low in sugar. Make sure that you have a dedicated family meal every evening, where everyone talks about what they did during the day - these reinforce that meal times are an important social occasion, not a pit stop between bouts with the Game Cube or Wii.

Staying physically active is an absolute necessity. Children are usually mirror images of their parents. If you as a parent live a sedentary life, the chances of your child duplicating your example are very high. If you have little league teams in your town, encourage your children to participate. Not all kids are athletic but all kids need to be active. In addition, set aside at least one day in the week where the entire family is physically active together. It could be a walk in the park or playing tag in the backyard.

Start early with your children. Sit down with them and honestly and directly explain why living a healthy lifestyle is important. If you are reading this today, you are the future of your family. An always remember, nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels.