Regulation of appetite in frail persons

Aging is often accompanied by anorexia of aging, described as a decline in appetite resulting in a lower dietary intake, followed by unexplained weight loss and adverse effects on health. This article discusses the main causes of a lack of appetite in frail elderly people. It is clear that appreciation of hedonic qualities of foods declines with age, as does the ability to regulate food intake. Carefully controlled studies, however, have shown favorable results with interventions that stimulate appetite in, frail elderly people.