Dear Dr. Roach:

I’m a 78-year-old woman, and I don’t have the greatest appetite. My doctor has recommended that I take a liquid breakfast drink (like Carnation Instant Breakfast) and vegetable juice along with my regular meals. Are they worth the expense? Do they help nutrition?

I’d want to find out why your appetite isn’t so good. Some medications can affect appetite, and so can some chronic illnesses. However, if a thorough search hasn’t found a reason, then a nutrition supplement is a reasonable idea. They do have macronutrients

Answer: — E.I.

(protein, carbohydrates and fat all contribute calories) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). I often see people who are overweight consuming them, which makes very little sense. However, they certainly are appropriate for people who are struggling to keep their weight up.

Iamin my 80s, have shrunk over 6 inches and am walking stooped over. What is your opinion of garments using magnets embedded along the spine, designed to “correct posture, improve circulation, reduce stiffness and relieve pain”? If you think I’d be wasting my money by purchasing the garment, is there anything else you can recommend to straighten me up?

Dear Dr. Roach: — E.B. Answer:

In my opinion, you’d be wasting your money on the magnets, as there’s no high-quality evidence showing that magnets are any better than placebo. Placebo may work to relieve pain, but I don’t think it will correct your posture, and I don’t think circulation is your issue. It sounds to me that you are describing kyphosis, sometimes still called a “dowager’s hump.” Treatment needs to be individualized, but it often includes exercise, a spine brace, physical therapy and sometimes medications for osteoporosis. Depending on how stooped over you are, it may be necessary to halt progression rather than try to reverse what has already occurred.