Evening Washington
Thursday, February 25, 2021
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • latest news
  • USA News
  • World
  • Other
    • TECH
    • Health
    • Fashion
    • Sports
    • Business
No Result
View All Result
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • latest news
  • USA News
  • World
  • Other
    • TECH
    • Health
    • Fashion
    • Sports
    • Business
No Result
View All Result
Evening Washington
No Result
View All Result
Home Health

Middle-Aged and Impaired? More Common Than You Might Think

admin by admin
November 14, 2017
in Health
0
0
SHARES
1
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

MONDAY, Nov. 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — As early as middle age, many Americans have problems with dressing, grocery shopping and otherwise caring for themselves — and for some, it leads to a progressive decline, a new study finds.

The study, of nearly 6,900 middle-aged adults, found that roughly 1 in 5 developed a "functional impairment" before age 65. That meant they had difficulty with routine self-care or daily tasks such as bathing themselves and making meals.

RELATED POSTS

Covid-19: White House criticises ‘chaotic’ vaccine rollout

Type 2 diabetes: Mindfulness shown to lower high blood sugar levels – how to practice it

Though those types of disabilities are common among elderly people, the new findings show that middle-aged people often have similar issues — and they do not always recover.

That had been a big question going into the study, according to lead researcher Dr. Rebecca Brown: "Is functional impairment in middle age a temporary phenomenon, or does it have consequences later?" Brown is an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

For many people in the study, their impairment did have consequences. Overall, 16 percent of middle-aged participants with impairments got worse over the next 10 years, and 19 percent died.

The better news, Brown said, was that many people either remained stable or got better. In all, 28 percent regained their function and remained disability-free for the rest of the study period.

The findings are published in the Nov. 14 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

The study did not break down the specific causes of people's disabilities, but 43 percent of those who developed a disability had arthritis, and a similar percentage were obese.

Low-income adults also faced higher risks, Brown pointed out. There could be multiple reasons for that, she said — from higher rates of chronic health conditions to less access to medical care.

What does it all mean?

For starters, any problems with self-care in middle age should probably be seen as a "red flag," said Dr. Thomas Gill, a professor of geriatrics at the Yale School of Medicine. "It's a sign that a person is potentially vulnerable," said Gill, who wrote an editorial published with the study.

His advice to people who've ever had a functional impairment: Talk to your doctor about whether you can better manage any chronic medical conditions.

"Ask your doctor, 'If I'm having difficulty with these tasks at the age of 60, what will happen when I'm 70?' " Gill said.

Lifestyle is a big issue, he pointed out. Regular exercise and, if needed, weight loss can help manage medical conditions like arthritis — and possibly cut the risk for future disabilities.

In fact, Gill said, "losing weight is one of the most effective measures for arthritis."

As for exercise, Gill said he and his fellow researchers had found clear benefits in a recent trial of sedentary adults in their 70s and 80s. People who started an exercise program were less likely to develop a disability over the next several years than were those who remained inactive.

When the exercisers did suffer an impairment — such as trouble walking — they were a third more likely to recover.

It's not clear whether those findings would apply to middle-aged people, too, according to Gill. But in theory, he noted, they could be "even more responsive" to exercise than elderly adults.

In the new study, Brown said, sedentary people were at greater risk of developing a functional impairment. That hints that exercise would curb the risks, she added, though it's not proof.

Regular exercise is already recommended for most adults, for a variety of health reasons. That doesn't have to mean joining a gym and going all-out, according to Brown.

"Start with small steps," she said. "Go for a 15-minute walk. Do some light resistance exercise at home."

Brown also agreed that a functional impairment can act as a red flag for middle-aged adults.

"You could see it as an opportunity to talk to your doctor, and try some simple strategies, like exercise, to improve your health," she said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Aging has advice on exercise and diet.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Original Article

ShareTweetPin
admin

admin

Related Posts

Covid-19: White House criticises ‘chaotic’ vaccine rollout

Covid-19: White House criticises ‘chaotic’ vaccine rollout

by admin
January 24, 2021
0

A senior White House official has criticised the Trump administration's rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine calling it "chaotic" and "very...

Type 2 diabetes: Mindfulness shown to lower high blood sugar levels – how to practice it

Type 2 diabetes: Mindfulness shown to lower high blood sugar levels – how to practice it

by admin
November 24, 2020
0

Type 2 diabetes is characterised by a battle with high blood sugar levels, which can inflict serious damage on the body. High...

Prince George’s Approves Requiring Healthy Kids’ Meals at Restaurants

Prince George’s Approves Requiring Healthy Kids’ Meals at Restaurants

by admin
November 19, 2020
0

A healthy meal and drink will soon be the required default option for kids’ meals at all restaurants in Prince...

Asian Games: Two Indonesian skateboarders secure ticket to final

by webadmin
October 11, 2020
0

When we get out of the glass bottle of our ego and when we escape like the squirrels in the...

Burkina Faso: Growing Violence Threatens Health Care

Burkina Faso: Growing Violence Threatens Health Care

by admin
September 10, 2019
0

Away from the worlds attention, Burkina Faso has been slipping into violence. In less than a year, t..

Next Post

Commitment Is Key for Online Quit-Smoking Groups

Definition of High Blood Pressure Drops

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sport

Mets retaining Luis Rojas as manager

Mets retaining Luis Rojas as manager

November 24, 2020
Nets no longer focused on James Harden trade pursuit

Nets no longer focused on James Harden trade pursuit

November 24, 2020
  • 21.8M Fans
  • 81 Followers
  • 103k Subscribers
  • 657 Followers
  • 22.9k Followers

MOST VIEWED

  • ‘Amphan’ may bring first flood of year in Assam: CWC

    ‘Amphan’ may bring first flood of year in Assam: CWC

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Where to buy Bitcoin in the UK and how does it work

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Playboy Model Marisa Papen Arrested For Dragging Cross In Front Of Vatican While Naked

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Russia Scores Gold In Women’s Figure Skating, Leaving USA Ladies Without Medals

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 24 Of Genie Bouchard’s Sexiest Shots Off The Court [SLIDESHOW]

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

CATEGORY

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Business
  • Europe
  • Fashion
  • Health
  • latest news
  • Sports
  • TECH
  • Uncategorized
  • USA News
  • World

SITE LINKS

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
  • Landing Page
  • All Features
  • Get JNews
  • Contact

© 2020 eveningwashington.com.

No Result
View All Result
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • latest news
  • USA News
  • World
  • Other
    • TECH
    • Health
    • Fashion
    • Sports
    • Business

© 2020 eveningwashington.com.