Aging is a natural process of life, a phase marked by many biopsychosocial changes.
There is a considerable increase in the elderly population and, as a consequence,
there is a growth in the search for health services, motivated, in most cases, by the
emergence of diseases that could be controlled and even avoided through a change
in eating habits. This study aims to analyze the scientific production available in the
literature about the importance of the quality of food for the elderly as a
presupposition for healthy aging. This is an Integrative Literature Review, which
enables the analysis and synthesis of the content produced on the topic studied. The
search for articles was carried out through the Scielo, Google Scholar and Lilacs
databases. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, ten articles were
selected, in Portuguese, to compose this review. These studies showed that
improvement in eating habits is essential for improving the quality of life and health of
the elderly. Thus, this review demonstrates that it is of great importance for Nutrition
professionals to develop health care actions considering the elderly patient in their
entirety, taking into account all the demands associated with the aging process and,
above all, making food an ally in promoting of a quality life for the elderly.
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