Anorexia of aging, defined by decreased appetite or decreased food intake in old age, is an important factor that may lead to malnutrition and adverse health outcomes in the geriatric population. Anorexia of aging has a multifactorial origin, characterized by various combinations of medical, environmental and psycho-social factors. Family physicians have an important role in health screening because they are the first health professionals to recognize aging anorexia in the geriatric population.Given the link between weight loss, sarcopenia and frailty, anorexia is a strong and independent indicator of poor quality of life, morbidity and mortality in the elderly. One of the most important goals of treatments for elderly and weak individuals is to optimize their nutritional status. To achieve this goal, especially in primary care, it is important to identify individuals at risk for anorexia and to provide effective and sustainable interventions involving exercise, nutrition and lifestyle modification to stop or improve weight loss and functional decline.
Key words: Geriatrics, aging of anorexia, loss of appetite, weight loss
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