To ask you to please help with my university project?

Good afternoon all,

I am jumping on the university post as I have just received a request from my granddaughter to circulate a survey for her Masters dissertation. If you have a spare five minutes I'd really appreciate your time. It is on retirement living and any responses are anonymous.

www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Z6ZL9XP

Thank you in advance!

Well, that article is saying we should get adequate amounts of protein, (and of course we should) but there is no evidence of need for (money making) supplements. But carry on if you wish to be taken in by yet another miracle cure for ageing. It's a huge industry

Gonegirl what people are saying is that an adequate amount of protein for older people might be more than previously thought, and more than is needed by younger people.

Prevention of falls is the single most important thing you can do to remain active in older age. And the way to do that is by maintaining muscle mass, strength and flexibility. It’s not a miracle cure for ageing, just a way of postponing decline.

As for supplements, unless you bake your own bread, you’re probably consuming them every day. Most bread flour has things added to it to increase its nutritional value.
And unless you drink bottled water all the time, you’re probably consuming added fluoride put in the water to protect your DGCs teeth from dental caries.
What about formula milk for babies? Are you against that too?

NannaBanana, just tell me please. Will you/they put the words "Reduces muscle loss in the elderly" on the packaging of this dessert?

Done

Done

And there is nothing science-y about the survey. It's purely marketing.

Well, that article is saying we should get adequate amounts of protein, (and of course we should) but there is no evidence of need for (money making) supplements. But carry on if you wish to be taken in by yet another miracle cure for ageing. It's a huge industry. Support it if you like.

I've said it all now. No more to say.

gonegirl here’s another, very recent NHS article. It discusses the growing problem of increased frailty among older people and what you can do to stave it off. www.nhs.uk/news/older-people/older-people-would-benefit-weight-training-and-more-protein/

“A new review looked at 46 individual studies on the effectiveness of different interventions for frailty. The studies were highly varied with interventions ranging from different forms of physical activity to medication, education and nutrition supplements. Overall increased strength training and increased protein intake – either in the form of protein-rich foods or supplements – were the 2 interventions rated highest in terms of effectiveness and ease of implementation”

I’m with you nannabanana - keep up the good work and good luck with tour MSc.

grannyknot thanks for your link too. Very interesting.

All done, best of luck with your Masters

I've completed the survey but although I like puds they do tend to put on a few inches don't they?! ?

Good luck!

I also try to eat a healthily varied diet and mostly manage it. I don't eat desserts, but after a meal in a restaurant I will eat vanilla ice cream. That's only once every few months, but wasn't able to indicate that in your questionnaire. I just ticked yes I eat vanilla ice cream.

NannaBanana, no, I can't find it online. I heard it very recently on BBC radio. It debunked the extra protein theory.

A well balanced diet, with adequate amounts of protein, combined with appropriate exercise is the only way to slow down muscle wasting. (That from NHS website)

If I were you I would not want to contribute to yet another, probably over-priced, "health food", marketed purely to make profits out of people who can ill afford it.

And I think it is likely you could end up with fat/fatter people.

I’m so very grateful for all responses, even if you feel you would not be interested in the product, as this helps us to refine our market.

I would be very interested to see any research or links you have read, whether supporting our theory or against. Gonegirl?

As I say at this point it’s an academic exercise as our degree is for industry professionals working in product development.

However, I would love the conversation to continue as using diet to avoid problems or improve health is my absolute passion.

I completely agree that the “gold standard” is to identify a personal diet of completely natural and ideally organic food for every individual, but we aren’t able to do that yet, and if we can provide a naturally enhanced food that is desirable and enjoyable, surely it’s better than nagging people to eat food they don’t really want, or cannot chew, or swallow?

Done!

Good Luck

My answers indicated that, although, I am very aware and interested in what I eat. I wouldn’t seek out an ‘enhanced’ food.
Like many of you I eat a good and healthy diet and avoid ready made food that contains ingredients that I either think are unnecessary or damaging to the environment or my body.

Done but only have ice cream in freezer not other frozen desserts.

Done the survey but like most others do not fill my freezer with frozen desserts, prefer to eat a varied diet with everything in moderation.

I did it too but I'm really not interested in frozen desserts. Instead of trying to develop a product how about developing a guide to avoidance of muscle loss? We all know bits and pieces of stuff we should know but it would be more helpful to have a good guide to healthy eating to avoid bone and muscle loss in ageing.

Done

I’ve filled in the survey but like absent I don’t eat the ice cream I buy.

Done - good luck with your project and please keep us updated on progress - this is a very real problem for many GNetters

I have answered your survey but I don't think you thought hard enough about the questions. I, for example, buy ice cream/frozen desserts for my grandchildren but neither Mr absent nor I actually eat them.

I've just done the survey.
I don't eat ice cream or frozen yoghurt but I have read recently several articles suggesting that older people should eat more protein to counteract muscle loss, maintain strength & prevent falls.
I do Pilates to try & maintain muscle mass & strength & am trying to increase my protein intake but would prefer to do it by eating 'normal' food & not supplements like body builders do.

Done - could also aid healing in post surgical care where loss of appetite can lead to protein deficiency. Sometimes a ‘treat’ might go down easily

Done. It’s still working, NannaBanana.