The stimulus for anorexia in elderly patients is typically a loss of control over their lives, which can be brought on by many events, including moving into an assisted living facility. This is also a time when most older individuals experience a rise in conflict with family members, such as limitations on driving or limitations on personal freedom, which increases the likelihood of an issue with anorexia. There can be physical issues in the elderly that leads to anorexia of aging, including a decline in chewing ability, a decline in taste and smell, and a decrease in appetite. Psychological reasons for the elderly to develop anorexia can include depression and bereavement, and even an indirect attempt at suicide. There are also common comorbid psychiatric conditions with aging anorexics, including major depression, anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and dementia.The signs and symptoms that go along with anorexia of aging are similar to what is observed in adolescent anorexia, including sudden weight loss, unexplained hair loss or dental problems, and a desire to eat alone.There are also several medical conditions that can result from anorexia in the elderly. An increased risk of illness and death can be a result of anorexia. There is also a decline in muscle and bone mass as a result of a reduction in protein intake during anorexia. Another result of anorexia in the aging population is irreparable damage to kidneys, heart or colon and an imbalance of electrolytes.Many assessments are available to diagnose anorexia in the aging community.
ballet, gymnastics, marathon running, and cycling) as well as sports that emphasize high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets, may be at an increased risk for iron deficiency. Inadequate intake
A U.S. federal survey of food consumption determined that for women and men over the age of 19, average iron consumption from foods and beverages was 13.1 and 18.0 mg/day, respectively. For women, 16% in the age range 14–50 years consumed less than the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), for men ages 19 and up, fewer than 3%. Consumption data were updated in a 2014 U.S. government survey and reported that for men and women ages 20 and older the average iron intakes were, respectively, 16.6 and 12.6 mg/day. People in the U.S. usually obtain adequate amounts of iron from their diets. However, subgroups like infants, young children, teenaged girls, pregnant women, and premenopausal women are at risk of obtaining less than the EAR. Socio-economic and racial differences further affect the rates of iron deficiency. Bioavailability
Iron is needed for bacterial growth making its bioavailability an important factor in controlling infection. Blood plasma as a result carries iron tightly bound to transferrin, which is taken up by cells by endocytosing transferrin, thus preventing its access to bacteria. : 30  Between 15 and 20 percent of the protein content in human milk consists of lactoferrin that binds iron. As a comparison, in cows milk, this is only 2 percent. As a result, breast fed babies have fewer infections. Lactoferrin is also concentrated in tears, saliva and at wounds to bind iron to limit bacterial growth.