Development of Healthy Menus at Minimum Cost for Older Adults Using a Diet Optimization Model

Suhaidi  Sudin; Hanis Mastura  Yahya; Norhasniza  Yaacob; Subhashini  Muniandy; Suzana  Shahar; Roslee  Rajikan; Siti Masitah  Elias

doi:10.18502/jnfs.v11i1.20915

Suhaidi Sudin Nutrition Programme, Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness (HCARE), Faculty of Health Science, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Hanis Mastura Yahya Nutrition Programme, Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness (HCARE), Faculty of Health Science, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Norhasniza Yaacob Nutrition Programme, Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness (HCARE), Faculty of Health Science, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Subhashini Muniandy Biomedical Sciences Program, Centre of Healthy Ageing and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Suzana Shahar Dietetic Programme, School of Healthcare Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Roslee Rajikan Dietetic Programme, School of Healthcare Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Siti Masitah Elias Financial Mathematics Programme, Faculty of Science and Technology, Islamic Science University of Malaysia, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jnfs.v11i1.20915

Keywords: Older adult, Healthy diets; Cost analysis; Mathematical model.

Abstract

Background: The number of older adults in developing countries is growing rapidly, posing challenges related to malnutrition due to unbalanced diets. Food cost is one of the barriers to consuming nutritious foods. This study aims to develop optimized healthy menus for 1800 kcal and 2000 kcal diets at minimal cost using mathematical programming. Methods: Data were obtained from phase IV of the Long Term Research Grant Scheme Towards Useful Aging cohort study (LRGS-TUA), involving 246 purposively sampled older adults (≥60 years) from 10 areas in Selangor, Malaysia. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, and nutrient intake data were analyzed. The Diet Optimization Model was applied to develop healthy, low-cost menus for older adults based on the recommended nutrient intakes for Malaysia (2017). Results: Among 246 older adults, 38.6% were overweight, and 71.5% lived below the poverty line. Energy and key micronutrient intakes such as fibre, calcium and potassium were well below daily recommendations, while sodium exceeded the upper limit. The diet optimization model produced nutritionally adequate menus at a minimum cost of RM8.00 (1800 kcal) and RM8.69 (2000 kcal). Conclusion: The diet optimization model demonstrated that affordable, nutritionally adequate menus for older adults can be achieved at minimal cost that meet nutritional requirements, offering a practical strategy to improve diet quality and reduce nutrition inequities among low-income elderly populations. Future studies should be conducted among older adults of varying socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, food preferences, and habits to evaluate the model's generalizability.