Growing Old Disgracefully

Readers of the popular press are probably well aware of world hunger as a pressing problem, but they are probably unaware that this is not just a problem that affects people abroad. 'Most people think of the condition as a "third world problem", but one in ten older people in the UK are malnourished, the British Dietetic Association and the Malnutrition Task Force said. ..........."For far too long, malnutrition and dehydration has been thought of as a third world problem," said Helen Davidson, honorary chair of the British Dietetic Association - the professional body for UK dieticians. "The reality is, malnutrition and dehydration is a very big problem here in the UK."' (Daily Express, 9 May) Malnutrition Task Force task force chair Dianne Jeffrey claimed that one in ten older people are malnourished and estimates put the figure at about three million. That is capitalism for you, even in an advanced country like the UK old folk are malnourished. RD