March is National Nutrition Month® — and as we age, healthy eating habits are as important as ever. Eating nutritious foods can help older adults manage chronic health conditions and lower their risk of serious health problems like heart attack and stroke. Below are a variety of resources to help older adults build and sustain healthy eating habits.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Build a Healthy Eating Routine
When it comes to healthy eating, establishing a routine is key to success. ODPHP’s healthy eating fact sheet for older adults, Build a Healthy Eating Routine as You Get Older, is a great place to start. Based on the latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, this resource features practical tips to help older adults choose a mix of healthy foods, find out how many calories they need, and more. Check out the Build a Healthy Eating Routine fact sheet in English [PDF – 1.2 MB] and Spanish [PDF – 1.2 MB].
MyPlate Resources for Older Adults
MyPlate’s Older Adults webpage highlights the unique nutrition needs of people age 60 years and older. Explore tips and quizzes on topics like healthy eating on a budget, dietary supplements, and food safety. Using MyPlate’s interactive resources, older adults can build their own healthy eating plans, set personalized goals with the Start Simple with MyPlate app, or even program their smart home devices to share healthy eating tips with MyPlate on Alexa. Explore MyPlate’s Older Adults webpage