Research &
Findings
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While there may be some debate about what the most critical risk factors my research identified 10 behavioural and 10 biomedical risk factors. As indicated previously our daily behaviour determines how exposed we will be to behavioural risk factors, which in turn can determine our exposure to biomedical risk factors. While this may seem obvious to some, others might find it more difficult to comprehend. If it was easy to understand why is such a high proportion of our population inactive and consuming unhealthy diets with the downstream biomedical problem are either overweight or obese.
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As indicated, one of the critical downstream biomedical risk factors are overweight and obesity. Approximately 67% of the Australian population is overweight or obese.. These figures are even more alarming when we look at persons over the age of 55. The ABS data included shows as many as 80% of older male are overweight or obese.
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The research identifies three potential ageing curves, which are identified in the diagram, and are summarised as follows…
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Exercise is the closest thing to a panacea for successful ageing.
Many of the longest-lived persons on the planet pursue different forms of exercise from dawn till dust. The interviewed Elders all performed different forms of exercises, six or more days a week. The pie chart showing the number of days the Elders pursued exercise is included below…..
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The preferred diet of long lived people.
The preferred diet for the longest-lived people varied depending on the country and/or proximity to water, grazing land, or mountains. Those who lived off the land and were tending sheep goats and other animals, were consuming some meat, nuts vegetables and fruit. The Okinawans were almost pescatarians although they did consume a considerable amount of plant-based product…
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While there may be some debate about what the most critical risk factors my research identified 10 behavioural and 10 biomedical risk factors. As indicated previously our daily behaviour determines how exposed we will be to behavioural risk factors, which in turn can determine our exposure to biomedical risk factors. While this may seem obvious to some, others might find it more difficult to comprehend. If it was easy to understand why is such a high proportion of our population inactive and consuming unhealthy diets with the downstream biomedical problem are either overweight or obese….
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Clubs offer connectivity and networking, especially in the elder years.
Frequently, older persons become disconnected from friends and family and isolated in their residences. Often ageing can brings about a lack of confidence and withdrawal from activities and a fear of the outdoor environment. All the Elders I interviewed had maintained social, professional and health related connections. They advised me that they had spent many years developing these friendships and they saw it as a critical part of their life to maintain these connections….
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This concept for Successful Ageing was developed following a ten-year study by the MacArthur Foundation by Rowe and Kahn…
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Exploring these components of successful ageing with older persons who have aged successfully, and health professionals was the basis of my research….
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A distinct problem with Usual Ageing is the involuntary loss of muscle mass, strength, and function, a process often referred to as sarcopenia. While the loss of the size of the muscle is less important, the accompanying loss of strength and function is critical. With Usual or sedentary Ageing, muscle mass decreases at the rate of 3-8% per decade after the age of 30 and this rate of decline is even higher after the age of 60. Muscle mass and strength enables us to maintain function and continue to pursue activities as we age. Muscle mass also helps to maintain our metabolism, which in turn helps us to burn fat. As you may be aware, our metabolism involves the chemical reactions that breaks down the food we eat into sugars, fats, and amino acids. With less muscle mass, and a slower metabolism, our bodies are less able to burn fat…
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Is 60 the new 40? Is 80 the new 60? Is 100 the new 80?…
