As we age, the body tends to burn fewer calories — but the need for most vitamins, minerals, and protein holds steady or even rises. That squeeze means every calorie has to carry more nutrition. Move the age slider and watch the two bars pull apart.
The nutrient-density squeeze
Set the scenariodrag the age slider to begin
Track a nutrient
An illustration, not a personal target. The calorie figure comes from a standard estimating equation applied to a fixed reference body, shown only to reveal the age trend. Real needs vary widely from person to person, and this is not medical or dietary advice. Targets shown are U.S. DRI values with their population and units named.