Nutrition Assistance Programs for Older Adults Are Failing, Federal Report Says

A Michigan-based study from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found federal guidelines for nutritional programs do not adequately address the needs of senior citizens, reports the Ionia Sentinel-Standard . The study authors urged greater oversight over nutritional guidelines for seniors at a time when Michigan's older population is growing. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that it intends to incorporate the needs of older adults into its guidelines, but it has yet to draft a plan. According to Sherri King in Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services, the registered dietitians she oversees have not voiced concerns about current dietary guidelines. "I am very confident in their skill levels to meet the changing dietary needs," she noted. The GAO study said the nutritional needs of older adults can differ from those for younger ones, yet federal guidelines for seniors are similar to those given to much younger persons. The only difference in nutrition guidelines for seniors is that "portions are larger and they are able to substitute milk for yogurt," said Lynn Cavett with Michigan's Education Department.