Healthy Aging

More People Are Living Longer  The population size and shape has been changing in the United States.  In 1950, there were few older adults and many children.  In 2020, there will be almost the same number of people in every age group.  The 85-plus age group is the fastest growing population in the world.

1950 U.S. Population Pyramid

2000 U.S. Population Pyramid

2050 U.S. Population Pyramid

Body System Changes During Aging  Skin thins; hair often grays, turns white, or falls out.  The cardiovascular system ages when the number of myocardial cells decreases, the valves harden, and the heart hypertrophies.  Renal mass progressively declines and renal weight decreases.  The brain takes longer to retrieve information, white matter shrinks, and neurotransmitters find fewer receptors.  Bones thin and lose strength, joints become stiffer, and muscles lose tone and become stiffer.

Aging Theories  Wear and tear  Rate of living  Evolutionary programmed senescence  Immune theory  Free radical or oxidative damage  Telomere theory

Wear and Tear Theory  For many years scientists believed that people aged because their bodies were wearing out.  Now scientists know that although muscle mass declines with age, people can improve muscle tone and cardiovascular health.  People don’t just wear out!

Rate of Living Theory  The faster the metabolism, the shorter the life span.  This theory is easy to refute—birds live longer than mice but have a much faster metabolism.  Human bodies are more likely to decline and develop disease through disuse rather than overuse.

Evolutionary Programmed Senescence  A switch in our genetic code starts the aging process.  How long a species lives may have to do with the amount of energy used for reproduction.  Human beings are the only animals that live many years after the ability to reproduce ends.

Immune Theory  With age, the immune system breaks down.  The body can’t fight off chronic diseases or autoimmune diseases.  These diseases cause a decline in function.

Free Radical or Oxidative Damage Theory  Free radicals (released during cell production) damage cells and DNA.  Damage contributes to the development of age-related diseases.  Results of a 2007 study suggest that consistent exercise could reduce age- related diseases (Kwak, Song, and Lawler 2007).

Telomere Theory  The ends of chromosome strands made from DNA are called telomeres.  Telomeres shrink, getting smaller and smaller each time they divide.  Eventually this causes cells to die and increases the chances of getting a terminal disease.  6uRxKYU 6uRxKYU

Unhealthy Aging  Chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis)  Immune system malignancies  Stroke  Dementia (Alzheimer’s disease, Pick’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, MID)  Heart attack  Cancer  Pneumonia

Lifestyle Influences on the Aging Process  Get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise daily to improve cardiorespiratory health.  Strength training and anaerobic exercise improve muscle tone, balance, and gait.  Eating a balanced diet fights off free radicals and prevents disease.  Membership in social networks lowers mortality.  Developing a spiritual connection may help people live longer. 