According to the UN’s World Population Ageing 2009 report …
The number of older people (60+) is expected to exceed the number of children (<15) in 2045 for the first time. In developed regions this happened in 1998.
And a World Health Organisation (WHO) report cited:
As populations age, annual deaths from Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) are projected to rise substantially to 52 million in 2030.
An individual’s unsuitable diet only becomes noticeable after doing small things wrong for a long period of time. For example, the rise in bodyweight in the US population from 1980-1994 was due to an intake of only 3.7 kcal above maintenance per day in men, and 12.7 kcal above maintenance in women (based on 35-year-old adults). A typical adult gains approximately 1kg per year over their lifetime, and eating just a few calories less per day or burning a few more calories could make the difference between a healthy or unhealthy bodyweight in later life.
Overweight and obesity, diabetes mellitus, gut-related disorders, osteoporosis, dental disorders and cardiovascular diseases are the key nutrition-related burdens that grow in importance as age increases. Research is showing that by incorporating key ingredients into a balanced diet, NCD can be delayed in most cases. An example of this is use of macrobiotic ingredients such as prebiotic fibres, as well as low glycaemic, slowly absorbed carbohydrates.
The place where inulin-type prebiotics show their efficacy is the large intestine. It was thought to be just where faeces are made and that bowel movements/constipation are the key factors. However, we now know that it also plays an important role in hunger and satiety regulation and inner protection activities.
A recent scientific study incorporating Beneo’s OraftiSynergy1 (oligofructose-enriched inulin) in infant formula shows that inulin-type fructans has a prebiotic effect in infants during the first four months after birth, due to the inulin-type fructans from chicory.
As people age, the levels of beneficial bacteria in the intestine tend to decline, causing gastrointestinal disease and discomfort. A recent scientific study indicated that bifidobacteria increases significantly in volunteers who were supplemented with inulin-type fructans from chicory root. Also, their bowel habits and general well-being improved. This increase in bio-available calcium was demonstrated to increase bone mineral density, opening up possibilities of osteoporosis prevention.
All ages need to increase consumption of prebiotic fibre to promote long-term health. The fact that people in only six out of 27 analysed countries worldwide manage to achieve the RDA of 25g indicates the need for higher dietary fibre intake.
Human blood glucose regulation can become imbalanced by high glucose loads that need to be regulated. The high prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes worldwide and, in particular, in Western-type countries shows that this is becoming a phenomenon.
The glucose supply can be modified by replacing high-glycaemic carbohydrates (as in white bread or boiled potatoes) with low-glycaemic carbohydrates that tend to be only partially digested, providing reduced energy. With Palatinose, the enzymatic cleavage of this disaccharide takes longer than that of, say, sugar or starches. This is reflected in its blood glucose response curve: a slow rise, a low peak, a steady flow in a plateau-like way.
Holub et al have presented the metabolic benefits of Palatinose and the results suggest that it may even have beneficial effects on long-term carbohydrate metabolism. The slow intestinal release of the functional carbohydrate leads to a prolonged delivery of energy.
The results of a recent study by König et al also shows that the low-glycaemic characteristics of Palatinose have a beneficial effect on fat utilisation in overweight and obese people.
Industry can play a vital role in helping populations to maintain active and healthy lifestyles into old age. A smart choice of ingredients can delay or prevent NCD.
Anke Sentko is vice president regulatory affairs & nutrition communication, Beneo-Institute.
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