Is a lower BMI always better as we age? Not necessarily.

In this episode of The Geriatric Dietitian Podcast, Katie takes a closer look at what the research actually shows about BMI and mortality in adults over age 65.

Research suggests that the BMI range associated with the lowest rates of mortality in older adults may be higher than the standard "normal" BMI range used for younger adults. Katie discusses why this matters, why unintended weight loss deserves attention, and why muscle, strength, function, and independence should be part of the conversation when evaluating weight in older adults.

In this episode, you'll learn:

✨ Why standard adult BMI categories may not tell the whole story for adults over 65
✨ What research shows about BMI and all-cause mortality in older adults
✨ Why a BMI around 27 was associated with the lowest mortality in a large meta-analysis
✨ Why unintended weight loss and muscle loss are important concerns with aging
✨ Why BMI should always be considered in the context of the individual

Katie also shares why she uses approximately 23 to 30 as the BMI range associated with the lowest rates of mortality in older adults, while emphasizing that BMI is only one piece of the overall picture.

Resources:

BMI in the Elderly: What You Need to Know
https://thegeriatricdietitian.com/bmi-in-the-elderly/

Free Healthy Aging Nutrition Guide
https://thegeriatricdietitian.myflodesk.com/

The Geriatric Dietitian
https://thegeriatricdietitian.com/

Be sure to subscribe to The Geriatric Dietitian Podcast so you don't miss the rest of this five-part series on BMI and older adults. In the next episode, Katie discusses sarcopenia and why muscle matters so much as we age.

BMI is used everywhere in healthcare, but does the standard BMI chart really apply to older adults?

In this episode of The Geriatric Dietitian Podcast, registered dietitian and geriatric nutrition specialist Katie Dodd breaks down what BMI actually measures, where it came from, its limitations, and why BMI needs to be interpreted differently as we age.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What BMI is and how the standard adult BMI categories are defined

• The surprising history of BMI and why it was never originally designed as an individual health assessment

• Why BMI does not account for muscle mass, body composition, nutrition status, physical activity, or functional status

• What research tells us about BMI and mortality in adults over age 65

• Why a BMI traditionally classified as "overweight" may be associated with lower mortality risk in older adults

• Why unintended weight loss, malnutrition, and muscle loss are especially important considerations with aging

• Why healthcare providers should look at the whole person instead of automatically recommending weight loss based on BMI alone

The big takeaway: BMI is just one piece of information. It does not define someone's health, and when BMI is used in older adults, it needs to be interpreted in the context of aging.

This episode kicks off a five-part series on BMI in older adults. Next week, we'll dig deeper into optimal BMI for older adults and what the research tells us about why those numbers change after age 65.

Learn more from The Geriatric Dietitian:
BMI in the Elderly: What You Need to Know - The Geriatric Dietitian

Get the FREE Healthy Aging Nutrition Guide:
https://thegeriatricdietitian.myflodesk.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Geriatric Dietitian Podcast and share it with someone who would benefit from evidence-based nutrition information for healthy aging.

In this episode of The Geriatric Dietitian Podcast, Katie is joined by registered dietitian Laura MacDonald, founder of The Seniors Dietitian, to talk about nutrition and dementia and practical ways caregivers can support their loved ones.

Laura shares how dementia can impact every part of eating- from recognizing hunger and planning meals to grocery shopping, preparing food, using utensils, chewing, swallowing, and maintaining a healthy appetite.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How dementia can affect eating, appetite, and nutrition
• Practical ways caregivers can support meals and food access
• Chewing and swallowing concerns and when to seek additional help
• Strategies for maintaining independence with eating
• Reduced appetite, unintended weight loss, and ways to make every bite count

Laura MacDonald is a registered dietitian and founder of The Seniors Dietitian. After more than a decade working in acute care with older adults, she developed a special interest in helping caregivers understand and navigate poor appetite, unintended weight loss, and other nutrition challenges associated with dementia.

Connect with Laura:

The Seniors Dietitian:
https://theseniorsdietitian.com/

Instagram:
@TheSeniorsDietitian

Free Nutrition Guides for Seniors & Caregivers:
https://the-seniors-dietitian.kit.com/3918450b79

Laura is also developing Feeding with Confidence, a comprehensive course designed to help caregivers navigate nutrition, low appetite, unintended weight loss, and eating changes throughout the progression of dementia.

Get the FREE Healthy Aging Nutrition Guide:
https://thegeriatricdietitian.myflodesk.com/

Learn more at The Geriatric Dietitian:
https://thegeriatricdietitian.com/

Good oral health is about so much more than preventing cavities. Your mouth plays an important role in your ability to eat, enjoy food, maintain good nutrition, and stay healthy and independent as you age.

In this final episode of our five-part series on oral health in older adults, registered dietitian Katie Dodd shares practical strategies for maintaining good oral health as you age.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Simple daily habits that support good oral health
• Tips for brushing, flossing, and denture care
• How dry mouth and nutrition affect oral health
• Why regular dental care matters
• Ways caregivers can support older adults with oral care

Dental care can be expensive, transportation can be difficult, and changing lifelong habits isn't always easy. But small, consistent steps can help protect your oral health and prevent bigger problems down the road.

Remember: the mouth is the first route of nutrition.

Taking care of your mouth can help you continue enjoying the foods you love, support good nutrition, preserve independence, and protect your overall quality of life.

Free Healthy Aging Nutrition Guide: https://thegeriatricdietitian.myflodesk.com/

Learn more at The Geriatric Dietitian: https://thegeriatricdietitian.com/

Poor oral health can have serious consequences for older adults that go far beyond cavities and tooth loss.

In this episode of The Geriatric Dietitian Podcast, geriatric dietitian Katie Dodd explains how oral health problems can contribute to malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia. You'll learn how pain, missing teeth, poorly fitting dentures, and dry mouth can make eating more difficult and lead to unintended weight loss.

Katie also discusses the connection between oral bacteria, dysphagia, and aspiration pneumonia, and why good oral hygiene is an important part of supporting overall health in older adults.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How poor oral health can increase the risk of malnutrition
• Why chewing difficulties can affect calorie and protein intake
• The connection between dysphagia, oral bacteria, and aspiration pneumonia
• Why oral hygiene matters beyond preventing cavities
• Ways healthcare professionals and caregivers can identify and address oral health concerns

Poor oral health isn't just a dental issue. It's a nutrition issue. It's a quality-of-life issue, and sometimes it can even be a life-or-death issue.

Missing teeth and difficulty chewing are common in older adults, but tooth loss is not a normal part of healthy aging.

In this episode of The Geriatric Dietitian Podcast, Katie Dodd, MS, RDN, CSG, LD, FAND discusses how missing teeth, dentures, and chewing difficulties can impact nutrition, food choices, socialization, and quality of life.

While dentures can be incredibly helpful, they don't function exactly like natural teeth. Eating with dentures can take time and practice, and some older adults may continue to avoid certain foods because they're difficult or uncomfortable to chew.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why tooth loss is not a normal part of healthy aging
• How missing teeth can affect nutrition
• Why dentures don't completely eliminate chewing difficulties
• Signs that an older adult may be struggling to chew, even if they say they aren't
• Nutritious soft foods that can make eating easier
• How to modify foods instead of simply eliminating them
• Why chewing difficulties can contribute to unintended weight loss
• How dentures and tooth loss can affect socialization, confidence, and quality of life
• Ways to support someone adjusting to dentures

When chewing becomes difficult, the goal isn't simply to remove nutritious foods from the diet. Instead, we can find ways to make those foods softer and easier to eat while continuing to meet nutritional needs.

Learn more from The Geriatric Dietitian:
https://thegeriatricdietitian.com/

Get free nutrition resources from The Geriatric Dietitian:
https://thegeriatricdietitian.myflodesk.com/

Be sure to subscribe to The Geriatric Dietitian Podcast and share this episode with someone who may find it helpful.

Dry mouth (xerostomia) is incredibly common in older adults, but it's often overlooked. While it may seem like a minor inconvenience, saliva plays a critical role in chewing, swallowing, tasting food, protecting teeth, and supporting good nutrition.

In this episode, Katie Dodd, MS, RDN, CSG, LD, FAND, explains why dry mouth deserves more attention and shares practical strategies healthcare professionals and caregivers can use to help older adults manage symptoms and maintain quality of life.

• What xerostomia is and why it occurs
• Why saliva is essential for nutrition and oral health
• Common causes of dry mouth in older adults
• Medications frequently associated with dry mouth
• How dry mouth can contribute to malnutrition and dehydration
• Nutrition and lifestyle strategies that may help relieve symptoms
• Why oral health assessments should be part of nutrition care

Even small improvements in oral comfort can make eating more enjoyable and help older adults continue meeting their nutrition needs.

🌐 The Geriatric Dietitian Website
https://thegeriatricdietitian.com/

🎁 Free Healthy Aging Nutrition Guide
https://thegeriatricdietitian.myflodesk.com/

Oral health isn't just about your teeth. It's one of the foundations of good nutrition.

In this episode of The Geriatric Dietitian Podcast, I explain why oral health matters so much for older adults and why it's a topic every dietitian, caregiver, and healthcare professional should pay attention to.

You'll learn:

• Why the mouth is the first route of nutrition

• The connection between oral health and malnutrition

• Why tooth loss is not a normal part of healthy aging

• Why I always ask my patients if they brush and floss

• How poor oral health can make healthy eating more difficult

This episode kicks off a five-part series on oral health in older adults. In upcoming episodes, we'll cover dry mouth, tooth loss and dentures, chewing difficulties, poor oral health and malnutrition, and practical nutrition strategies to support healthy aging.

🦷 Companion Article:
Nutrition and Oral Health in Older Adults
https://thegeriatricdietitian.com/nutrition-care-dental-health-in-older-adults/

🎁 Free Nutrition Resources for Older Adults:
https://thegeriatricdietitian.myflodesk.com/

📖 The Geriatric Dietitian Website:
https://thegeriatricdietitian.com/

🌐 Website: https://thegeriatricdietitian.com/

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeriatricDietitian

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegeriatricdietitian

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a caregiver, healthcare professional, or anyone interested in healthy aging. Every share helps spread evidence-based nutrition information and supports The Geriatric Dietitian Podcast.