Nutrition needs change as we age. We may become less active, our metabolism slows and our ability to absorb some nutrients becomes less efficient. This means that the foods we choose to eat, and the amount of nutrients in those foods, become even more important.
Watch this explanatory video and use MyPlate for Older Adults as a tool to help you when you shop, decide on types and combinations of foods you cook, and as a reminder that the foods you choose to eat should be rich in vitamins and minerals.
MyPlate for Older Adults was created in the framework of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It was updated in 2016 by nutrition scientists at the Jean Mayer U. S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University with support from AARP Foundation.
See how others are using the tips from MyPlate for Older Adults.
What Drives Us
Number of adults 50 and older at risk of hunger every day
Number of adults 50 and older at risk of hunger every day
Estimated annual health care costs resulting from food insecurity
Estimated annual health care costs resulting from food insecurity
Percentage of seniors more likely to experience depression because of food insecurity
Percentage of seniors more likely to experience depression because of food insecurity
Number of meals donated to help hungry seniors since 2011
Number of meals donated to help hungry seniors since 2011
Number of 50+ adults who receive food assistance from food banks annually
Number of seniors who received added SNAP benefits or nutritional education in 2016 through AARP Foundation’s Fre$h Savings and Grocery Guides programs
