It's 'never too late' to keep to a healthy diet

Older people should do everything they can to ensure they are maintaining a healthy diet, an advice organisation has recommended, which could reduce the need for respite care later in life.

Dianne Bown-Wilson, chief executive of In My Prime, said one of the dangers of retirement is for people to become less mentally engaged and physically active, but despite this it is never too late to make positive changes to your health.

"The guidelines are simple: stop smoking, reduce alcohol intake, take regular daily exercise, reduce salt, sugar and fat intake and eat more fresh food as part of a balanced diet, and keep mentally active," she said.

Ms Bown-Wilson added: "Look at younger people and think of your younger self."

The advice comes shortly after Aviva's Real Retirement report, which found that two in five people aged between 55 and 65 have seen significant changes to their careers, due to factors such as illness and redundancy.

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