EWHETA (Eat Well for a HEalthy Third Age) Project: novel foods to improve the nutrition in the elderly people

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of mortality. However, by treating modifiable cardiovascular risk factors and following a healthy diet as the Mediterranean diet, we have opportunity to prevent CVD. In the EWHETA (Eat Well for a HEalthy Third Age) Project, our goal has been to develop novel foods (“Mediterranean Lasagne”, MLs) in versions all nutritionally complete and well balanced in terms of calories, whole carbohydrates, fibers, source of vegetable proteins, and vegetable fats. MLs can be easy prepared at home (inexpensively) and used as fresh food or can be pre-prepared and used in residences for elderly people or in health care residencies. The project has saw the alliance between nutritionists and food and sensor scientists and the active involvement of older people in tasting the novel foods to achieve the final tasty versions of the MLs. We think that the nutritional components of these novel foods and its well-accepted taste, insert in a healthy diet and life style (fundamental aspects at every age), and could contribute to improve diet in the elderly people and prevent malnutrition.