Preventive nutrition: an 'optimal' diet for older adults

Nutritional screening, an important aspect of prevention, includes measurement of height and weight, laboratory values as indicated, and a dietary assessment. For primary prevention, nutrition information should be broad enough to maintain health and prevent disease in healthy persons. Recommendations need to address problems of dietary excess as well as the possibility of nutrient inadequacy. Although controversial, the routine recommendation of a basic multivitamin and mineral supplement for healthy older adults is favored by these authors.