Long-Term Care Survey Alert

Consider this approach.

"You have to be careful with prescribing weight-loss diets for older people in nursing homes," says John Morley, MD, at St. Louis University School of Medicine.

Reasoning: "Weight loss can increase hip fracture and lead to functional disability," Morley says. "When you lose weight, you lose 75 percent fat and 25 percent muscle and bone," he adds. "And when you are older and frail, loss of muscle and bone is a much bigger problem."

Remedy: "Exercise is a good way to lose weight," says Morley. "If someone does need to lose weight, you should give a high essential amino acid diet and have the person in an exercise program. There are some great studies showing that people who do any resistance exercise and any aerobic exercise have amazingly good results."