Anorexia of Aging

Anorexia of aging is a reduction in appetite that occurs more commonly in older adulthood and can lead to reduced food intake. In this context, “anorexia” means loss of appetite and does not refer to anorexia nervosa, the psychiatric eating disorder. Although age-related changes can increase susceptibility to appetite loss, anorexia of aging is not an inevitable consequence of getting older .^1,2

The condition is multifactorial. Age-related changes that may contribute include reduced taste and smell, altered gastrointestinal function, changes in signals that regulate hunger and satiety, and changes in body composition and energy requirements. Disease, medications, oral-health problems, depression, cognitive impairment, loneliness, and other social or environmental factors can also reduce appetite or food intake in older adults .^1,2

One feature associated with anorexia of aging is impaired regulation of energy intake. Older adults may reduce food intake during illness or other periods of low intake but may be less able than younger adults to increase intake afterward sufficiently to compensate. Persistent appetite loss can therefore contribute to inadequate energy and nutrient intake and, in some people, unintentional weight loss .¹

Anorexia of aging is related to, but distinct from, malnutrition, sarcopenia, and frailty. It describes reduced appetite, often accompanied by reduced food intake, whereas malnutrition describes an adverse nutritional state and sarcopenia involves loss of muscle strength and muscle mass. Anorexia of aging can contribute to these conditions and frequently occurs alongside them, which is why it is recognized as an important geriatric syndrome .^1,2