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Nutrition Therapy for Dysphagia, EoE, Gastroparesis, GERD, and Liver Disease

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Geriatric Gastroenterology

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Abstract

The nutrition management of older individuals who suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) disorders often requires a multifaceted approach to management. This chapter details the nutritional management of six GI disorders encountered in the geriatric population: dysphagia, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), gastroparesis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and cirrhosis. Disorders that affect the upper GI tract such as dysphagia, EoE, GERD, and gastroparesis can impact a patient’s ability to eat. Nutritional interventions are paramount to prevent or correct unintentional weight loss, nutrient deficiencies, or protein-calorie malnutrition. Diets tailored to various swallowing disorders are detailed in the chapter. Therapeutic interventions such as an elimination diet can be used in place of medications for those with EoE. Nutrition therapy is also key in treating individuals with liver disease. Individuals with cirrhosis often have difficulty meeting their nutrient needs besides requiring sodium restriction in diet. Additionally, diet and exercise are the only known treatments for NAFLD with the goal of weight loss to improve hepatic inflammation. Clinicians who care for older individuals will benefit from recognizing the importance of diet therapy for these GI disorders.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Emily Haller

  2. Adult Liver Transplant/Hepatology Clinic, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Lorraine Bonkowski

  3. Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

    Courtney Schuchmann

  4. Northwestern Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Digestive Health Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    Bethany Doerfler

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  1. Emily Haller
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  2. Lorraine Bonkowski
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  3. Courtney Schuchmann
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  4. Bethany Doerfler
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Correspondence to Emily Haller .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA

    C. S. Pitchumoni

  2. Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Montefiore Medical Center, Wakefield Campus, Bronx, NY, USA

    T.S. Dharmarajan

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Haller, E., Bonkowski, L., Schuchmann, C., Doerfler, B. (2021). Nutrition Therapy for Dysphagia, EoE, Gastroparesis, GERD, and Liver Disease. In: Pitchumoni, C.S., Dharmarajan, T. (eds) Geriatric Gastroenterology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30192-7_107

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