Singapore's silent crisis: Is grandpa eating well and enough?

Many of our seniors are at risk of malnourishment. Sometimes, the problem starts at the cafe.

- Teo Yik Ying

We could be seeing a worrying rise in malnutrition among older adults in Singapore, recent data from NHG Health suggests. Some four in 10 hospital patients aged 65 and above were found to be at risk in 2024, up from three in 10 just two years earlier.

Among patients seen by dietitians at the point of hospital discharge, two-thirds were identified as malnourished or at risk, compared with just over half of such patients in 2023. This trend extends beyond hospital wards, and findings from the community-based Diet and Healthy Aging Cohort Study showed that 22 per cent of adults aged 60 and above were at moderate to high risk of malnutrition.

Taken together, these figures paint a troubling picture of a deep-seated problem that reaches far beyond hospitals and into homes. In a nation celebrated for its food culture and abundance, the fact that many seniors still go undernourished reveals vulnerabilities that are overlooked and often hidden behind closed doors.

With one in four Singaporeans expected to be aged 65 and above by 2030, and more living longer with chronic conditions, the threat of malnutrition among the elderly will only worsen unless addressed with urgency and sustained commitment.

CONSEQUENCES OF MALNUTRITION

Though less visible than diabetes or hypertension, malnutrition poses an equally serious threat to the health, dignity and independence of our seniors. One of the earliest warning signs of this appears in hospitals. Undernourished seniors are more likely to fall ill, make repeated emergency visits and stay longer when admitted. With weakened physiological reserves, even a minor infection or routine surgery can exact a heavy toll, delaying recovery and increasing the risk of readmission.