Abstract
Life expectancy is increasing in developing countries. Gerontology, the study of the biology of ageing, has had only limited application to third world populations. The published literature on ageing and the elderly in developing countries is generally sparse and primarily descriptive. Nutrition and diet, however, comprise an important fraction of the extant literature. Barriers to gerontological research in the third world include the traditional focus on maternal and child health, limited human and material resources, and methodological pitfalls inherent in the study of ageing. Additional pitfalls related to the ecological and genetic characteristics of pre-industrialized and transitional countries, per se, must also be recognized and avoided. This will allow gerontological research to flourish and create understanding of the problems of ageing in the third world.