From the nutrition guidance for older adults, which statement is highlighted as accurate?

From the nutrition guidance for older adults, which statement is highlighted as accurate?

• A. Older adults are more prone to dehydration than younger adults are.
• B. Vitamins and minerals are not necessary for older adults.
• C. Calcium supplementation should be avoided in all cases.
• D. Older adults need the same number of calories as when they were younger.

Answer: (A)

Older adults are more prone to dehydration because aging brings a reduced sense of thirst, lower total body water, changes in kidney function, and common medications like diuretics. This combination increases the risk of dehydration and makes it easier for fluid balance to become imbalanced, with consequences such as confusion, dizziness, constipation, and kidney problems. The other statements don’t fit the guidance: vitamins and minerals remain essential and deficiencies can be more common with age, so they’re not “not necessary”; calcium supplementation isn’t universally avoided—some individuals need it for bone health, though it should be individualized; and energy needs typically decrease with age, so older adults usually don’t require the same calorie intake as when they were younger.

Older adults are more prone to dehydration because aging brings a reduced sense of thirst, lower total body water, changes in kidney function, and common medications like diuretics. This combination increases the risk of dehydration and makes it easier for fluid balance to become imbalanced, with consequences such as confusion, dizziness, constipation, and kidney problems. The other statements don’t fit the guidance: vitamins and minerals remain essential and deficiencies can be more common with age, so they’re not “not necessary”; calcium supplementation isn’t universally avoided—some individuals need it for bone health, though it should be individualized; and energy needs typically decrease with age, so older adults usually don’t require the same calorie intake as when they were younger.