Commensality in Old Age

It is a fact that the world population is aging. In Mexico, there are more than 18 million people over the age of 60. Just as the prevalence of chronic-degenerative diseases has increased in recent decades, our life expectancy has also lengthened, and with this, some paradigms about what it means to belong to old age have changed.

The archetype of the elderly person who is practically inactive, secluded at home, and dependent on others is increasingly becoming an outdated idea. Today, older adults actively participate in their communities, many remain productive, and have active social lives. However, globally it is also true that once entering old age, the quality of nutrition can be compromised, partly because appetite decreases, but also due to other sociocultural reasons that are of great importance.

Commensality, or the act of eating together, is a major social modulator of food intake throughout our lives: when we are young, it helps structure and schedule the various activities of the day and helps us relate to people outside the family. In adolescence, it allows us to identify with peers, and in adulthood, it generally facilitates social bonds among friends, colleagues, and at work. In old age, it has been shown that eating together is a social facilitator that improves food intake. When people reach old age, they often have to cook for themselves and perhaps one other person, if they live alone. Managing the food of a household for just two people leads to simplifying culinary tasks or simply omitting them.

The way older adults live undoubtedly has a significant cultural component: while in Mexico a large proportion of older adults live at home with one of their children, in Anglo-Saxon or European countries, older adults generally live alone and often do not see their children frequently. In the United States, companionship is generally possible for those who have the resources and savings to move to a retirement community, where they live with other older adults and socialize throughout the day. In Europe, retirement communities are less common, so people live alone and are exposed to health risks, including diseases resulting from poor nutrition.

Some scientists have proposed strategies such as teaching older adults who live alone how to cook as a way to prevent malnutrition. However, the willingness to learn new things can often be affected as we reach adulthood, so mental health must also be monitored—a fundamental component to ensure good nutrition both nutritionally and socio-emotionally.

Although culturally in Mexico most older adults are accompanied, it is necessary to ensure that meals are shared with someone, as this is a social facilitator that has positive impacts on food intake and, therefore, on the prevention of diseases resulting from poor nutrition.

— This article was originally published in Spanish by Liliana Martínez Lomelí. Translation generated with AI from the original text.