Clinical Interventions in Aging (Mar 2024)
Consequences of Anorexia of Aging in Hospital Settings: An Updated Review
Abstract
Natalie J Cox1,2 1Academic Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; 2NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Wessex, University of Southampton, Southampton, UKCorrespondence: Natalie J Cox, Academic Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Mail Point 807, University Hospital Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK, Email [email protected]: The anorexia of aging is a widespread problem amongst older people, particularly in the hospital setting with up to 60% affected. Despite its high prevalence anorexia often goes undiagnosed in hospital, due to a lack of standardized assessment and evidence-based management, but also lack of knowledge regarding consequences. This review summarizes current evidence for anorexia of aging specific to the hospital setting, giving an overview of correlates of appetite in hospital and consequences of anorexia. It highlights an overall scarcity of research on this important clinical problem for hospitalized cohorts. The few studies point to the importance of anorexia of aging in major health burdens for older people, namely malnutrition, sarcopenia and reduced physical performance, as well as higher mortality. Further research is needed to assess temporal sequence in pathways of causality and to develop effective interventions to combat anorexia.Keywords: appetite, older people, outcomes, sarcopenia
