Commentary on "Anorexia in the elderly" by Morley and Silver.

Anorexia (loss of appetite) in the elderly is a problem of unknown dimensions. Long-term studies are needed to identify the number of elderly who show a consistent pattern of weight loss with advancing age. Longitudinal studies on the effectiveness of programs designed to prevent and combat this weight loss by increasing food intake must be designed and carried out in subjects selected for the absence of disease often seen in old people.