For public

  • Picture of a smiling older adult performing harm curl with little weight
    Bed rest worsen muscle health: strategies to avoid it during the hospitalization

    The bed rest and the physical inactivity associated with hospitalization or illness, represent an important threat to the muscles and their function.

    Physical inactivity during the hospitalization is generally considered to be a normal patient experience, but it clearly contributes to a series of negative health outcomes (i.e. reducing the ability to perform daily living activities, and increasing the risk of new hospitalizations).

  • picture of a man watching television and eating chips, as example of sedentary behavior
    A sedentary life obscures the benefits of regular physical activity

    Sedentary lifestyle is associated with several negative health consequences, including disability and premature death.

    Physical activity is related to several health benefits, even in older adults, but in this population most of the time is spent sitting.

  • picture with an apple that reminds the concept of healthy diet, and sneakers and small weights for physical activity
    Role of exercise and nutrition in the prevention of sarcopenia

    Sarcopenia is the age-associated loss of skeletal muscle mass (the muscles connecting bones and joints) and strength that develops slowly over decades and becomes a significant factor for disability among the elderly population. The mechanisms that trigger sarcopenia have not been clarified yet, but they are likely to be multiple and they all appear to results in the loss of skeletal muscle mass.

     

  • Picture of  eggs
    Considering the benefits of egg consumption for older people at risk of sarcopenia

    It has been suggested that a reduction in the amount of proteins in the diet among older people may contribute to sarcopenia (e.g. to the loss of muscle and strength with aging). Increasing the quantity of proteins during meals could be a helpful strategy in both the prevention of sarcopenia in people approaching older age and the treatment of sarcopenia in frail older people. Here the benefits of egg consumption are reported.

  • Older woman who uses small weights to exercise her arms
    Strength training is a simple and effective way to counteract muscle loss in elderly patients and reduce the risk of losing independence

    It has been well-documented that physical inactivity promotes the loss of muscle mass and strength, i.e. sarcopenia, and increases the risk of losing independence in the elderly. A number of studies have confirmed that strength training is an effective way to improve muscle mass, strength, balance and endurance among elderly people. Here, we report recommendations of the American College of Sport Medicine (ACMS) for strength (or: resistance) exercise in seniors.

  • Older woman who eats a piece of watermelon
    An healthy diet could protect older people against frailty

    A diet rich in olive oil, vegetables, potatoes, legumes, blue fish, pasta, and meat seems to counteract frailty onset in older people. A Spanish study on 1872 non-hospitalized older people (60 years of age or more) has assessed the correlation between dietary habits and the frailty onset. Two dietary patterns were identified: the first was called the “prudent” pattern due to the high consumption of olive oil, vegetables, potatoes, legumes, blue fish, pasta, and meat; and the second was called the “Westernized” pattern because of the high consumption of refined bread, whole dairy products, and red and processed meat, as well as the low intake of whole grains, fruit, low-fat dairy, and vegetables. In older adults, a “Westernized” pattern showed a direct relationship with some components of frailty, while a “prudent” dietary pattern seemed to have a protective effect against frailty.