Frailty Prevention and Treatment: Why Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Need to Take Charge

Abstract

Americans aged 85 years or older are the fastest growing population segment in the U.S. Many older adults have multiple chronic degenerative diseases and other illnesses. These conditions can take a toll on their ability to perform basic activities of daily living, frequently resulting in a poorer quality of life, frailty, and increased disability. Today there are no common, well-accepted guidelines for the prevention or treatment of frailty. Frailty, like obesity and diabetes, is a condition with a multiplicity of causes. Thus a multi-factorial approach—including nutrition—is needed for its prevention and treatment. Internationally, healthcare systems are establishing multidisciplinary protocols on frailty; in Europe, dietitians are taking a very active role in the development and implementation of these protocols. We believe that registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) in the U.S. have the responsibility today to take a similar leading role; becoming integral to nutritional screening, intervention, and advocating for pre-frail and frail older adults, thus making a meaningful difference in their quality of life and health outcomes.