Kontakt X:X | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2026.021

Nutrition and social determinants of healthy ageing in the Czech Republic: a narrative reviewSocial Sciences in Health - Original article

Romana Klášterecká ORCID...1, Petra Pičmanová ORCID...1, *, Miroslav Kopecký ORCID...1, Zuzana Svobodová ORCID...2, Tereza Schovánková ORCID...3
1 Palacký University Olomouc, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Preclinical Subjects, Olomouc, Czech Republic
2 Palacký University Olomouc, Faculty of Health Sciences, Library, Olomouc, Czech Republic
3 Palacký University Olomouc, Faculty of Health Sciences, Science and Research Center, Olomouc, Czech Republic

Aim: To synthesise empirical evidence on the relationship between nutrition and social determinants of health among older adults in the Czech Republic and to outline implications for practice and research.

Methods: A narrative review focusing on community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older was conducted. A structured literature search (2014-2024) was performed in national and international databases using predefined inclusion criteria, double screening, and thematic analysis. Nineteen Czech studies of various designs were included.

Results: The evidence indicates a coexistence of overweight or obesity and the risk of undernutrition, together with low fruit and vegetable intake and frequent micronutrient deficiencies. Higher physical activity was associated with better quality of life, while sedentary behaviour increased with age. Social isolation, partner loss, and weakened social networks were linked to poorer diet quality and higher nutritional risk. Older adults emphasised food quality and trust, and the Mediterranean dietary pattern showed potential benefits, particularly for cognitive health.

Conclusion: Nutrition and social context jointly shape healthy ageing in later life. Practice should prioritise nutrition literacy, access to dietetic care, integrated diet-and-activity programmes, and measures to reduce social isolation. Future research should strengthen qualitative and mixed-methods approaches to better capture everyday social influences on diet.

Keywords: Czech Republic; Malnutrition; Nutrition; Older adults; Physical activity; Social determinants of health
Grants and funding:

This work was supported by the project NUTRIAGE24 (SPP 801000021, source 19).

Conflicts of interest:

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare in relation to this paper.

Received: October 31, 2025; Revised: March 1, 2026; Accepted: March 25, 2026; Prepublished online: April 2, 2026 

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