Category: Ageing

Categories : Ageing Expert OpinionTags :

From Lifespan to Healthspan: Why Preventive Healthcare Matters Now More Than Ever

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Photo by Barbara Olsen on Pexels

South Africa is facing a major health transition. While the average life expectancy has nearly doubled over the past century, the quality of those additional years, commonly referred to as one’s ‘healthspan,’ remains under threat from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This threat calls for a renewed national focus on prevention and early intervention to address the rapidly growing challenge.

The Healthspan Imperative

According to health data presented at the 2025 Momentum Healthcare Insights Summit, NCDs such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders now account for 51% of all deaths in South Africa. In contrast, communicable diseases make up around 40% and non-natural causes (like accidents and violence) account for a mere 9%. This shift reflects a global trend, although some challenges remain; infectious diseases become more manageable, while chronic conditions associated with lifestyle and ageing take centre stage.

Damian McHugh, Chief Marketing Officer at Momentum Health

“Medical advances have added years to our lives, but not necessarily life to our years. More and more, there is growing evidence to support the fact that prevention offers the greatest potential to reduce the burden as well as cost of chronic disease and improve quality of life,” says Damian McHugh, Chief Marketing Officer at Momentum Health.

Prevention Outperforms Treatment

The summit highlighted compelling evidence that prevention is more effective than treatment for advanced disease. For example, research from the American Cancer Society shows that tobacco control measures, such as smoking bans and taxes, have prevented 3.8 million lung cancer deaths in the United States since 1970. The most effective way to save lives from late-stage lung cancer has not been through treatment, but through reducing or eliminating smoking altogether.

The same principle applies to other chronic diseases. Managing risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity, high blood glucose, and abnormal cholesterol can actively prevent or delay the onset of disease. These factors are strongly influenced by behaviours such as a lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, unmanaged stress levels, and even excessive alcohol use or smoking.

Investing in regular health check-ups and preventative care can mitigate the risk of serious health problems, ultimately reducing the incidence of costly, advanced illnesses. Simple lifestyle changes, such as prioritising rest and recovery, making time to connect with loved ones, maintaining balanced nutrition, practicing mindfulness, and engaging in regular exercise not only promotes physical and mental health, but can also translate into significant long-term savings in healthcare costs.

“Making quality healthcare more accessible, while enabling and rewarding healthy, preventative habits can lead to complete physical and mental health and wellbeing. Investing in access and wellbeing is a powerful pathway to realising more wealth and more health for more South Africans,” says McHugh.

Measuring and Managing Healthspan within the South African Context

Momentum Health’s data reveals that many South Africans are living longer, but the average age of medical scheme beneficiaries has increased by nearly three years over the past decade, and the proportion of pensioners in medical schemes is rising. Without proactive measures, our nation’s ailing healthcare system will face increasing claims and costs as the population ages and chronic diseases become more prevalent.

Momentum Health believes that the solution lies in taking measures to improve access to both quality medical care and reliable health information and empowering individuals to take responsibility for their own health.

South Africa’s rising NCD burden is not inevitable. With early detection, healthy lifestyle choices, and consistent engagement with preventative healthcare, individuals can not only extend their lifespan but also improve the years lived in good health.

“Prevention isn’t just a personal choice; it’s a public health imperative. By investing in wellness now, we can reduce the future burden on our healthcare system and help more South Africans enjoy longer, healthier lives,” concludes McHugh.

Categories : AgeingTags :

Psilocybin Byproduct Delays Aging and Extends Lifespan, New Study Suggests

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Photo by Marek Piwnicki

As revenues from the anti-aging market – riddled with hope and thousands of supplements – surged past $500 million last year, Emory University researchers identified a compound that actively delays aging in cells and organisms.

A newly published study in Nature Partner Journals’ Aging demonstrates that psilocin, a byproduct of consuming psilocybin, the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms, extended the cellular lifespan of human skin and lung cells by more than 50%.

In parallel, researchers also conducted the first long-term in vivo study evaluating the systemic effects of psilocybin in aged mice of 19 months, or the equivalent of 60–65 human years. Results indicated that the mice that received an initial low dose of psilocybin of 5mg/kg, followed by a monthly high dose of 15mg/kg for 10 months, had a 30% increase in survival compared to controls. These mice also displayed healthier physical features, such as improved fur quality, fewer white hairs and hair regrowth.

While traditionally researched for its mental health benefits, this study suggests that psilocybin impacts multiple hallmarks of aging by reducing oxidative stress, improving DNA repair responses, and preserving telomere length. Telomeres are the structured ends of a chromosome, protecting it from damage that could lead to the formation of age-related diseases, such as cancer, neurodegeneration or cardiovascular disease. These foundational processes influence human aging and the onset of these chronic diseases.

The study concludes that psilocybin may have the potential to revolutionize anti-aging therapies and could be an impactful intervention in an aging population.

“Most cells in the body express serotonin receptors, and this study opens a new frontier for how psilocybin could influence systemic aging processes, particularly when administered later in life,” says Louise Hecker, PhD, senior author on the study, and former associate professor at Emory, where the research was initiated and funded.

While much of what researchers know about psilocybin relates to the brain, few studies have examined its systemic impacts. Many people associate psilocybin with the hallucinogenic impacts, but the majority of the cells in the body express serotonin receptors.

“Our study opens new questions about what long-term treatments can do. Additionally, even when the intervention is initiated late in life in mice, it still leads to improved survival, which is clinically relevant in healthy aging,” adds Hecker, currently an associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine.

Not just a longer life, but a healthier life

“This study provides strong preclinical evidence that psilocybin may contribute to healthier aging – not just a longer lifespan, but a better quality of life in later years,” says Ali John Zarrabi, MD, director of psychedelic research at Emory’s Department of Psychiatry. “As a palliative care physician-scientist, one of my biggest concerns is prolonging life at the cost of dignity and function. But these mice weren’t just surviving longer – they experienced better aging,” adds Zarrabi, co-investigator of the study. 

Zarrabi emphasises the importance of further research in older adults, as well as the well-documented overlap between physical and mental health.

“Emory is actively involved in Phase II and III clinical trials of psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression, and these results suggest we also need to understand psilocybin’s systemic effects in aging populations,” says Zarrabi. “My hope is also that if psilocybin-assisted therapy is approved as an intervention for depression by the FDA in 2027, then having a better quality of life would also translate into a longer, healthier life.”

Source: Emory Health Sciences

Categories : AgeingTags :

New Study Highlights the Hidden Risk of Polypharmacy for Older Adults

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Photo by Kampus Production

Inappropriate polypharmacy – the excessive or unnecessary use of multiple medications – is a major driver of emergency hospital admissions among adults aged 65 and over, according to a new study from the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Bath.

The researchers hope their findings will pave the way for the development of a digital tool – such as an app – to proactively identify older adults at risk of medication-related harm and intervene before a hospital visit becomes necessary.

The study, published in Age and Ageing, is the first of its kind to use data-driven methods to explore how potentially inappropriate polypharmacy contributes to short-term hospitalisation in older adults. With this population growing rapidly and facing increased risks of complications from being hospitalised, the findings reinforce concerns in geriatric care over the dangers of overprescribing.

The hidden dangers of overprescribing

Older adults often take multiple medications to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and arthritis. This can lead to prescribing cascades, where side effects from one drug are treated with additional medications, creating a cycle of escalating complexity and risk.

For instance, a patient might be prescribed a drug for pain management, develop high blood pressure as a side effect and then receive another medication to manage that new symptom. Over time, this can lead to a complex web of prescriptions, carrying the risk of harmful interactions.

PhD researcher Robert Olender, who led the study under the supervision of Dr Prasad Nishtala (primary supervisor, from the Department of Life Sciences) and Dr Sandipan Roy (secondary supervisor, from the Depatment of Mathematics) from Bath, said: “With more older adults on complex drug regimens, we need proactive ways to reduce preventable emergency hospitalisations.”

Though the new research is focused on data from the UK, polypharmacy among older adults is known to be a growing problem globally, with studies from countries that include the US, Australia, New Zealand and across Europe consistently linking polypharmacy to increased risks of hospitalisation, adverse drug reactions and reduced quality of life.

In an earlier study based on a New Zealand dataset, also carried out by the team at Bath, a strong correlation was found in older people between a high drug burden, alcohol consumption and smoking with an increased risk of 30-day hospitalisations.

Using machine learning to predict hospitalisation

The study used a large UK dataset to develop three machine learning models capable of predicting 30-day emergency hospitalisation in older adults with around 75% accuracy.

A key variable in these models was the Drug Burden Index (DBI), which measures the cumulative effect of medications with sedative and anticholinergic properties. Anticholinergics are a class of drug used to treat various chronic conditions such as dementia, depression, urinary incontinence and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The cumulative effects of these drugs consistently emerged as one of the strongest predictors of a person being at risk of emergency hospitalisation. Other predictors included impaired mobility, a history of fractures and falls, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

What makes this study unique is its focus on a previously underexplored dataset and age group, offering new insights into a long-standing issue. While the dangers of polypharmacy are well known, this research highlights the link between polypharmacy and short-term hospitalisation. It also lays the groundwork for a potential tool to identify at-risk patients and guide them toward safer care.

From research to real-life impact

The research team envisions an app for clinicians that uses a simple questionnaire to assess a patient’s risk of hospitalisation. Questions might include current prescriptions, lifestyle factors (e.g. smoking and alcohol use) and chronic conditions like cancer or hypertension. The tool would then generate a risk score, allowing clinicians to make informed decisions in real time.

Such a tool could serve as a low-cost, high-impact intervention to keep patients safe and create savings for the NHS. By identifying high-risk patients early, clinicians may adjust medication regimens, encourage physical activity or address modifiable lifestyle factors – simple steps that could significantly reduce an individual’s risk of an emergency hospital admission.

While the app could be developed relatively quickly, integrating it into clinical workflows would require regulatory approval and trials. However, the potential benefits – fewer hospital admissions, improved patient safety, and reduced healthcare costs – make this a compelling investment, the researchers believe.

The team hopes such a tool would raise awareness among healthcare professionals, particularly those in primary care, community pharmacies and hospices, where early intervention could help prevent emergency hospital admissions.

Source: University of Bath

Categories : AgeingTags :

How Aging Quiets Lupus and Brings Relief to Some Older Patients

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A woman with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Source: Wikimedia CC0

Researchers have found that certain antiviral genes become less active over time in lupus, revealing why some patients see their symptoms fade as they age.

It causes the immune system’s first-line viral defences, known as interferons, to attack the body. Nearly every organ is at risk, leading to conditions like kidney and heart disease.

But unlike many other autoimmune or chronic illnesses, lupus can improve as patients reach their 60s and 70s. University of California San Francisco researchers have now found a potential explanation.

“I see my younger lupus patients in their 20s, 30s, and 40s every few months, monitoring them closely for signs of severe disease, but many of my older patients just once a year to touch base,” said Sarah Patterson, MD, assistant professor of medicine in the division of rheumatology at UCSF. “If patients make it through those risky decades, they sometimes see a dramatic improvement.”

Now, Patterson and colleagues have published a study in Science Translational Medicine that reveals how this works.

By analysing blood samples from patients across the age spectrum, the team discovered that aging turns down the activity of certain immune genes in people with lupus, leading to fewer interferons and other inflammatory proteins in the body.

The study found that in healthy adults, inflammation-related genes and proteins rose slowly over the years, a process that has been dubbed “inflammaging.” In patients with lupus, however, the expression of these genes and proteins were abnormally high in mid-life but decreased as the decades went by.

“Inflammaging seemed to be reversed in the lupus patients,” said Chaz Langelier, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine at UCSF and senior author of the paper. “But it wasn’t fully reversed. The lupus patients still had a greater level of inflammatory signaling compared to healthy adults in older age.”

That reversal reflected what Patterson has seen in her patients — a return to something approaching healthy older age.

Next, the team intends to test whether drugs that block interferons are more or less effective in lupus patients at different ages. They also hope to extend the approach to understand other inflammation-related conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, COPD, and atherosclerosis.

Source: University of California San Francisco

Categories : Ageing HospitalsTags :

Opinion Piece: The Strategic Importance of Caregiving Agency Partnerships for Frail Care Facilities

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Photo by Kampus Production

By Dianne Boyd, Branch Manager at Allmed Healthcare Professionals

The demands placed on South African frail care and retirement villages are tougher than ever. These establishments must consistently provide high-quality care, while addressing persistent staffing issues and adapting to an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

The limitations of traditional care models heavily reliant on individually employed caregivers can no longer be ignored. In response, a strategic shift towards collaborating with experienced healthcare professional service agencies is gaining momentum, providing a welcome pathway for facilities to greatly enhance care provision, optimise operational workflows, and mitigate potential liabilities.

Addressing the shortcomings of traditional models

Modern senior care facilities face growing challenges that necessitate efficient resource management. Rising operating costs, stricter regulatory demands, and persistent staffing shortages (particularly for specialised roles) create significant operational burdens. To maintain high standards of care and ensure resident well-being, facilities must adopt innovative solutions that address both operational and care-related needs.

Exceptional care can only be built on in personalised attention, and outsourcing allows facilities to raise their care standards by accessing a pool of highly trained and compliant caregivers in collaboration with a reputable healthcare professional staffing services provider. The right agency partner makes it possible for facilities to prioritise personalised care, ensuring each resident receives the attention required for the best outcomes.

Putting personalised care at the top of the quality scale

Caregiving agencies have an important role to play in implementing robust care plans in collaboration with doctors. By placing caregivers that work under the instructions of the facility’s matron or registered nurse, agencies assume responsibility for ensuring care plans are followed diligently, while clinical facilitators provide continuous training that ensures caregivers are competent and confident in their roles. Such a collaborative approach greatly enhances resident wellbeing and safety. With the expertise of such specialist agencies, retirement villages and frail care facilities can be assured that consistent, high-quality care will be delivered, a critical factor in building trust with residents and their families.

Ensuring competency, continuity of care and flexibility

Traditional work models, where facilities directly recruit and employ caregivers, often struggle with operational logistics in continuity of care and training. Here, staffing shortages due to unforeseen absences can greatly disrupt daily routines. In contrast, partnering with a staffing solutions organisation provides access to a reliable pool of caregivers on-demand.

A professional agency partner handles all scheduling requirements, while ensuring extra caregivers are oriented to the facility. This enables quick replacements (often within two hours) to minimise disruptions and maintain consistent care, while such flexibility also gives the facility the room to scale up or down on caregiving resources in direct response to the changing needs of residents without significant cost.

Critically, a key benefit of partnering with a staffing provider is the comprehensive administrative relief they offer. Agencies manage the entire recruitment process, onboarding, payroll, and continuous training, freeing facilities from these burdens. Here, the agency steps in to simplify processes and mitigate risk by handling everything from start to finish, with thorough criminal and reference checks to minimise security risks and comprehensive recruitment processes that ensure caregivers are proficient in English and possess the necessary skills and attributes for the job.

Outsourcing to continually enhance personalised care standards

One of the most compelling advantages to partnering with a staffing services agency is the fact that the facility has guaranteed access to pre-screened, trained, and compliant caregivers who have been through a rigorous upskilling course to ensure they are well-prepared for the frail care environment. The right staffing partner takes time to understand each facility’s unique needs and matches caregivers accordingly, with business unit managers actively participating in the selection process to ensure the perfect fit.

Equipped with comprehensive training on essential skills, including dementia care, palliative care and rehabilitation, these caregivers can address the specific needs of residents with confidence and compassion. Their specialised training relieves pressure on facilities and ensures residents receive appropriate care, which enhances family satisfaction.

The right partner also employs clinical facilitators designated to provide on-site training and support, so that the facility is assured caregivers are up to date with the latest care practices and technologies to continuously enhance the overall quality of care. Facilities benefit from collaborative training opportunities, further upskilling their own staff at no additional cost. Significantly, these specialised care services can supplement the core offerings of the facility to better meet the diverse needs of residents, attract a broader clientele and strengthen their market position.

An essential shift toward high-quality care

For the future of senior care, strategic partnerships with healthcare staffing providers are no longer optional, but essential. These collaborations ensure the long-term success of retirement villages and frail care facilities by optimising staffing, enhancing care, and mitigating risks. They are the foundation for delivering exceptional resident experiences and building a culture of safety and trust. These partnerships will allow facilities to meet the demands of today, while building a forward-thinking model for the dignified and compassionate senior care of tomorrow.

Categories : Ageing Mental HealthTags :

Music May Reduce Distress for Dementia Patients

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Research finds music therapy could be used on NHS wards as an alternative to medication

Photo by Sergio Capuzzimati on Unsplash

A new treatment that uses music therapy on dementia wards could improve care and support for some of the NHS’s most vulnerable patients.

Researchers at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust have piloted a music therapy approach called MELODIC, across two NHS dementia wards.

More alternatives to psychotropic medication are needed to support dementia patients who experience severe distress.

The pilot study involved a music therapist being embedded on hospital wards, the delivery of clinical music sessions and the implementation of musical care plans for each patient, and results from the research have been published in Frontiers of Psychiatry.

Music therapy, delivered by trained therapists, can include singing, playing or listening to music. The therapist can also identify specific ways that music can be used by families and carers in an individual’s daily care routine.

During the study, patient data suggested a slight improvement in quality-of-life scores among patients and a reduction in the severity of distress symptoms and disruptiveness, although agitation scores increased slightly.

There were no increases in routinely reported incidents, and no adverse events related to music therapy interventions were reported. This is relevant for future research on mental health dementia wards where limited studies have been conducted to date.

“People with dementia on inpatient mental health wards are often experiencing very high levels of distress, and staff are under immense pressure to manage this in ways that are safe and compassionate.

“Our study yielded promising results and importantly showed that the MELODIC tool can be used effectively in these highly complex settings, giving an alternative option to current ways of managing severe distress, such as psychotropic medication.”Lead author Naomi Thompson, a researcher at ARU’s Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research

The approach was shaped by interviews with 49 healthcare professionals, patients, and their families about their experiences managing distress on dementia wards and using music in everyday care and life to help develop the intervention. Results were published in the Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Importantly, the intervention, co-designed by clinicians, researchers, and people with lived experience, cost just £2025 per month for the therapist and £400 initial outlay for equipment, suggesting a low-cost, scalable model.

“Some people with dementia can get so confused and distressed that we need to admit them to hospital to keep them safe. It can be difficult to manage distress in a ward environment and hard for patients, families and staff.

“I am very excited that it may now be possible for NHS staff to improve their experience on dementia wards using the power of music, and we look forward to working with ARU to develop this further.”

Dr Ben Underwood, Research and Development Director and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at CPFT

Source: Anglia Ruskin University

Categories : AgeingTags :

Unlike Humans, Lemurs Do Not Experience ‘Inflammaging’

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This lemur is called Nemesis and lives at the Duke Lemur Center

What can lemurs tell us about inflammation and aging, aka “inflammaging” in humans? That’s the question Elaine Guevara, a biological anthropologist who studies the evolution of life history and aging in primates, set out to understand.

In newly published research on age-related inflammation in ring-tailed and sifaka lemurs, Guevara discovered that perhaps we should rethink the inevitability of inflammaging in humans.

Although similar in many ways, ring-tailed and sifaka lemurs show differences in life pacing and lifespan, making useful comparisons. Because lemurs and humans are primates and share a common ancestor that lived millions of years ago, they offer valuable insights into human evolution.

Her findings, which are published in the Journal of Comparative Physiology B, were “surprising”, she said.

“Contrary to our predictions, neither species showed age-related change in either marker of oxidative stress. Neither lemur species exhibited age-related change in inflammation; if anything, contrary to our prediction, ring-tailed lemurs showed marginal declines in inflammation with age,” Guevara said.

This finding, consistent with a few recent studies of other non-human primates, suggests that lemurs avoid the phenomenon of “inflammaging” widely observed in humans.

The study shows inflammaging is not a universal feature of primates, pointing to some differences that might suggest it turns out it’s not even a universal feature of humans, according to Christine Drea, a professor of evolutionary anthropology who was one of the researchers working with Guevara.

What is Inflammaging?

As we grow older, low-grade chronic inflammation sets in, which in turn can cause health problems such as heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer and osteoarthritis.

Why inflammaging increases with age in humans, what causes it and how it can be prevented are answers to questions that can unlock critical information to help humans live longer and healthier lives.

Collecting Data from Lemurs

Drea said the team first had to find a way to measure oxidative stress, which can be found in blood, urine and saliva. They settled on urine.

“Our role at the beginning was planning, designing, brainstorming, comparing and getting these samples,” said Drea, who has worked with the Duke Lemur Center since 1999. The Lemur Center does not allow research that will harm the animals.

The next step says Guevara is to conduct similar research with lemurs in the wild.

“There are a lot of good reasons to think that aging can be quite different in captivity and in the wild, and that in itself, is informative to evaluating the degree to which human inflammation is intrinsic versus environmental,” she said.

In the meantime, Guevara says this study serves as the first step in unravelling the question of why humans are suffering from inflammatory-related and age-related conditions and finding ways to treat them.

With a rapidly aging global population, “these insights are essential for mitigating disability and improving quality of life in later years,” she said.

Source: Duke University

Categories : Ageing ExerciseTags :

Consistency of Physical Activity in Adulthood Linked to 30–40% Lower Risk of Death

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But upping physical activity level still linked to 20–25% lower risk of death from any cause
Switching to a more active lifestyle at any point in adulthood may extend lifespan

Photo by Mikhail Nilov

Being consistently physically active in adulthood is linked to a 30–40% lower risk of death from any cause in later life, while upping levels from below those recommended for health is still associated with a 20–25% lower risk, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

The findings prompt the researchers to conclude that switching to a more active lifestyle at any point in adult life may extend the lifespan, and that it’s never too late to start.

Currently, it’s recommended that adults should aim for 150-300 weekly minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, or 75-150 weekly minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity, or a combination of the two, note the researchers.

But while these recommendations were based on the best evidence available, most of it captured measurements of physical activity at only one point in time, which might hide the potential impact of changing patterns during adulthood, they add.

The researchers therefore wanted to find out if differing patterns of physical activity, as well as its cumulative impact during adulthood, might be associated with a lower risk of death from all causes, and specifically from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

They scoured research databases for relevant studies that assessed physical activity at two or more points in time, and included in their review 85 studies published in English up to April 2024, with sample sizes ranging from 357 to 6,572,984 participants.

Fifty nine of the studies looked at long term patterns of physical activity across adulthood; 16 looked at the average benefits of different physical activity levels; and 11 explored the potential impact of cumulative physical activity on risk of death.

To overcome the challenges posed by different analytical methods used, the researchers carried out separate analyses for each of them.

Pooled data analysis of the study results showed that, overall, a higher level of physical activity was associated with lower risks of all the included outcomes.

Consistently active people (32 studies) had around a 30–40% lower risk of dying from any cause, while those who increased their levels of physical activity (21 studies) from below those recommended had a 20-25% lower risk of death from any cause.

Specifically, participants who switched from being physically inactive to being active were 22% less likely to die from any cause than those who remained inactive, while those who increased their leisure time physical activity levels were 27% less likely to do so.

On the other hand, swapping an active lifestyle for an inactive one wasn’t associated with a lower risk of death from any cause.

Generally, the associations observed between a high level of physical activity and a lower risk of death were more evident for cardiovascular disease than for cancer.

Compared with participants who were consistently inactive over time, those who were consistently active, overall, or only in their leisure time, were around 40% and 25% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease and cancer, respectively.

But in general, the evidence for the associations between physical activity patterns and death from a specific cause remained inconclusive, especially for death from cancer.

The pooled data suggested that people who were consistently active or who became active had lower risks of death from any cause, and specifically from cardiovascular disease, when meeting the recommended weekly physical activity levels.

But being consistently physically active and clocking up more than the recommended maximum weekly amount of moderate to vigorous intensity exercise was associated with only a small additional reduction in risk.

Maintaining or increasing physical activity at levels below the recommended weekly amount, however, was associated with appreciable health benefits, indicating that some physical activity is always better than none, say the researchers.

And an average volume of physical activity that met the recommended weekly amount was also associated with a 30–40% lower risk of death from all causes. But more research is needed to confirm this, they add.

The researchers acknowledge some limitations to their findings, including that most of the studies included in the pooled data analyses relied on subjective assessments of physical activity, which may not always have been accurate.

And there were only a few studies that looked at cumulative amounts of physical activity, or cancer deaths.

Nevertheless, the findings have important public health implications, insist the researchers.

“First, our results emphasised the importance of [physical activity] across adulthood, indicating that initiating [it] at any point in adulthood may provide survival benefits.”

They add: “As being consistently active provides greater health benefits than being previously active (ie, no longer maintaining activity), this highlights the importance of sustained [physical activity] over time.

“Future [physical activity] interventions may not only target inactive people, but also support active people to maintain their activity.”

Source: BMJ Group

Categories : Ageing Injury & TraumaTags :

Slower Arm Movements Linked to Greater Fall Risk for Older Adults

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Photo by Mikhail Nilov

When a person starts to lose their balance on a slippery surface, the natural reaction is to raise the arms to restore balance. Adults age 65 and older may move their arms more slowly when slipping, which could increase their risk of falling, according to a University of Arizona Health Sciences-led study.

The paper, published in Scientific Reports, marked the first analysis of balance-correcting arm movements that may assist in reducing the incidence of hip fractures, said senior author Jonathan Lee-Confer, PhD, an assistant professor of physical therapy at the U of A Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. He and his collaborators studied older adults walking in everyday conditions. 

“We know older adults lose mass in the shoulder muscles used for these types of arm movements,” Lee-Confer said. “This research fills a gap by looking at how older adults move and revealing those detriments to functional performance during a slip.” 

The research team gathered data from two groups of people, the first with an average age of 26 and the second with an average age of 72. They found that all participants achieved comparable peak arm abduction during slips of similar severity; however, the older group were on average 58% slower than the younger group.

Additionally, they found that faster, more explosive arm corrections helped limit whole-body movement during a slip, quantifying the difference just 1/25 of a second made in how much participants’ bodies shifted sideways.

“It’s actually quite a bit – about an inch [2.5cm] to the side. So if someone is delayed with their arm movement, they are going to fall more toward the side than if they were able to react quickly,” said Lee-Confer, adding that until about seven years ago, the physical therapy community’s prevailing belief was that slips caused people to fall backward. 

Lee-Confer’s prior research found that many people instead fall to the side. The distinction is important in preventing injury, as slip-induced falls are strongly associated with hip fractures. 

“When an older adult fractures their hip, it can only be from a sideways fall, not purely backward,” he said.

Lee-Confer’s new study establishes a foundation for further research into interventions that could strengthen arms to improve balance reactions to slips. He plans to investigate whether strengthening targeted muscles by employing quick dumbbell raises to the side makes subjects’ arms move more rapidly when a slip occurs.

The balance-correcting arm movements happen almost as quickly as an automatic reflex and having existing strength to draw on may speed the process, he said.

If future findings support the approach, adding arm exercises to existing fall prevention programs that condition legs could make physical therapy protocols more effective, thus saving lives and prolonging healthspans. 

“This is about using physical therapy to extend someone’s quality of life,” he said. “I like the idea of being able to give somebody more years of protection from these debilitating injuries.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of nonfatal and fatal injury for Americans age 65 and older. 

Source: University of Arizona

Categories : Ageing Metabolic DisordersTags :

Glucose Tolerance Levels Linked to Increased Life Expectancy

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Photo by Photomix Company on Pexels

It is well known that preventing the onset of diabetes reduces the risk of death, and that managing blood glucose levels is key to preventing diabetes. However, it remains unclear whether there are specific ranges within “normal” blood glucose levels that are associated with even lower mortality risks.

A small farming community in the Tohoku Region of northern Japan has possibly provided researchers with further insights.

For over 40 years, the Ohasama Study, named after a town in Iwate Prefecture, has tracked the long-term health of Ohasama’s local population. Since 1986, the study has collected health and medical data through regular checkups and tests.

As part of the study, participants have undergone a glucose tolerance test every four years. This test, which is commonly used to diagnose diabetes, measures blood glucose levels before and 120 minutes after drinking a glucose-containing beverage.

Now, a research team has analysed the glucose tolerance test data from the Ohasama Study, publishing their findings in the journal PNAS Nexus. Junta Imai and Hideki Katagiri from Tohoku University led the study.

“We first examined the relationship between mortality and various health test results, including but not limited to glucose tolerance tests, for 993 individuals,” explains Imai. “Even after adjusting for known risk factors such as age, obesity, and smoking, the one-hour post-glucose load blood glucose level showed a strong correlation with mortality.”

Participants were then divided into two groups based on the median one-hour post-glucose load blood glucose level of 162mg/dL. The survival analysis showed significantly better outcomes in the lower-glucose group.

Since some participants had already developed diabetes, the researchers narrowed their focus to 595 individuals with normal glucose tolerance. They analysed which glucose threshold had the strongest correlation with mortality and found that 170mg/dL was the most predictive.

Using this threshold, Imai and his colleagues conducted a survival analysis, comparing those with post-glucose load blood glucose levels below and above 170mg/dL. After 20 years, nearly 80% of the under-170mg/dL group were still alive, while almost 50% of the over-170mg/dL group had died – a statistically significant result.

Further analysis of cause-of-death data revealed that individuals with one-hour post-glucose load blood glucose levels under 170mg/dL had significantly fewer deaths due to heart disease caused by atherosclerosis (p < 0.0001) and malignant tumours (p < 0.0014) compared to those with higher levels.

“These findings demonstrate that even within the range considered ‘normal,’ there is a subset of blood glucose levels associated with a lower risk of death,” adds Imai. “Besides taking measures to prevent diabetes, greater efforts towards managing blood glucose spikes shortly after eating could help prevent heart disease and cancer, ultimately leading to longer, healthier lives.”

Source: Tohoku University