How to preserve healthy aging through nutritional strategies: The new approach of the Food Social Network (Food NET) project

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Rachele De Giuseppe ◽  
Matteo Colleoni ◽  
Marco Cremaschi ◽  
Luca Daconto ◽  
Ilaria Di Napoli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
National Health System ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Eating Behaviours ◽  
Modifiable Factors

BACKGROUND: Aging is a process that does not refer only to the accumulation of damage in a human being over time but rather to individual changes determined by genetic, lifestyle, social and environmental factors. Aging is one of the greatest known risk factors for most human diseases. An older person in good health has a good level of independence, weighs less on the national health system and plays a productive and active role in his/her community; thus, the concept of “healthy aging”, reflecting older adult-environment fit should be promoted. The interactions between lifestyle, including nutrition, and health play a fundamental role in the aging process; eating habits and eating behaviours are recognized as important modifiable factors potentially leading to a healthy “phenotype”. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: A multidisciplinary consortium with three Italian universities (the University of Milano-Bicocca, University of Pavia and University of Calabria) and Italian Small-Medium Enterprises proposed the Food Social Network (Food NET) project. Food NET overall outcome is to achieve target-specific guidelines and exact technologies for accessible functional foods, aimed at improving the quality of life and nutritional status of citizens (aged>65) of the Metropolitan City of Milan (Italy). CONCLUSIONS: This project is part of the “Smart Living” and food-related strategies aimed at responding to the needs of this target population, developing new food products, appropriate to meet the specific requirements and ensuring and promoting sustainable diets for healthy aging by effective food policy approaches.

scholarly journals Healthy Diet for Healthy Aging

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 4310
Author(s):  
Suey S. Y. Yeung ◽  
Michelle Kwan ◽  
Jean Woo
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Healthy Diet ◽  
Sensory Function ◽  
World Health ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Modifiable Factors ◽  
Intrinsic Capacity

Extending healthspan is a major public health challenge. Diet is one of the modifiable factors for preventing age-related diseases and preserving overall good health status during aging. Optimizing individuals’ intrinsic capacity, including domains in cognition, psychological, sensory function, vitality, and locomotion, has been proposed as a model of healthy aging by the World Health Organization. To better understand the relationships between a healthy diet and healthy aging, this review summarizes the recent epidemiologic and clinical data for dietary patterns that have been shown to play a role in (domains of) healthy aging. Regardless of priori or posteriori dietary patterns, it appears that dietary patterns centered on plant-based foods have a beneficial role in (domains of) healthy aging. Our review identified a knowledge gap in dietary patterns and multidimensional concepts of healthy aging. More epidemiological studies should consider intrinsic capacity as an outcome measure to further our understanding of a healthy diet and multidimensional concepts of healthy aging. When a sufficient number of epidemiological studies is available, evidence can be synthesized and clinical trials can be designed to evaluate a healthy diet as a strategy for healthy aging to further our progress in translating evidence to practice and promoting healthy aging.

scholarly journals Impact of health behaviours and deprivation on well-being in a national sample of English young people

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. e000335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aswathikutty Gireesh ◽  
Shikta Das ◽  
Russell M Viner
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Young People ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Area Deprivation ◽  
Eating Behaviours ◽  
Modifiable Factors ◽  
Mental Well Being

ObjectiveTo determine the modifiable factors influencing well-being in boys and girls by accounting for deprivation, ethnicity and clustering within local authorities.MethodsWe used data from a very large nationally representative survey, the What About Youth study involving 120 115 adolescents aged 15 years. Our outcome measure of mental well-being was the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS). Potential explanatory factors included substance abuse, screen time, eating habits, reading, bullying, sleeping pattern, physical activity and area-level deprivation. We ran unadjusted and adjusted multilevel models for each explanatory factor, after adjusting for ethnicity, deprivation and including a random effect for the local authority.ResultsBoys had a higher overall mean WEMWBS score than girls (p<0.0001). In the adjusted model, each of multiple risk behaviours, eating habits, sleep, bullying, physical activity, screen-time and reading were independently associated with mental well-being in both boy and girls (p<0.0001 for both). Sleep and eating behaviours had a stronger association in both sexes than bullying, physical activity and screen time. Young people from black ethnic groups had significantly higher well-being in both sexes. Deprivation was not associated with well-being among boys but was among girls.ConclusionThe largest contributors to adolescent well-being appear to be sleep, eating behaviours and bullying when considered in a multivariable framework. While adolescents from black ethnic groups had higher overall well-being scores, area deprivation did not affect male well-being but had a small effect on female well-being. Future longitudinal studies and health policies need to consider a range of behavioural factors to drive improvements in adolescent well-being.

Evaluating the user-perceived benefit of a virtual patient education and support community: LVNG With Lung Cancer.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (28_suppl) ◽  
pp. 92-92
Author(s):  
Mona L. Martin ◽  
Kristin Bucklen ◽  
Lise J. Hall ◽  
Beth Sandy ◽  
Dann Wonser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Cancer Information ◽  
Perceived Benefit

92 Background: The accessibility and quality of network support for people living with lung cancer (PLW) and their support partners (SP) can vary. Virtual platforms provide a unique opportunity for PLW/SP peer support and disease education; the challenge is to measure impact. Methods: Our aim was to determine user-perceived benefit of the Facebook-based virtual community LVNG With Lung Cancer ( https://www.facebook.com/LVNGWithLungCancerUS ). Qualitative interviews were conducted with community members aged ≥18 yrs and living with lung cancer or actively supporting someone who had lung cancer. Also, inbound community comments (Dec 2015–Oct 2016) were retrospectively analyzed and grouped by similarity of content. Results: 18 PLW and 2 SP were interviewed (N = 20, saturation of concept met within the first 10). Mean yrs since diagnosis was 2.75 (range 0.08–17). Of the total expressions of benefit (n = 513) made during the interviews, 32% focused on increased health knowledge, with most participants calling out cancer information, good health behaviors, and coping strategies as key community benefits. Social impacts of the community accounted for 28% of benefit expressions; having a forum to share experiences and having a supportive environment were most frequently cited. An additional 18% of benefit expressions revealed that the community gives members feelings of empowerment, including feeling less alone (55% of respondents) and feeling inspired to help others (40% of respondents). Benefits received from community membership led to behavioral change in many respondents: 55% asked their doctor more questions, 50% shared helpful experiences with other members, and 35% took a more active role in their healthcare. In a notable example, an SP member said the community provided her with the knowledge she needed to address her symptoms and fears with her doctor, who was hesitant to biopsy because she did not meet typical risk criteria. Her self-advocacy was successful and ultimately led to an early lung cancer diagnosis. Results from the retrospective analysis of actual postings (n = 24,336; all unique users during evaluation period: n = 12,187) reflected the themes patients offered during interviews as important reasons to participate: 63% of postings were asking for or sharing cancer information, 98% provided emotional support and/or understanding, and 84% were inspirational/optimistic. Conclusions: This dual approach of assessing real-world impact of a virtual Facebook community provided insight into the benefit that members derive and highlighted the integral role of support groups in patient-centric care. Importantly, once members’ emotional and educational needs were met, they were empowered and/or inspired to take positive actions leading to better health behaviors and increased quality of life – an outcome that may have wider applicability for diseases beyond lung cancer.

scholarly journals Estimation of the Active Social Network of Street Children in Shiraz (A City of Iran)

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasrin Motazedian ◽  
Mehrab Sayadi ◽  
Somaye Oboodi ◽  
Hassan Joulaei
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Direct Method ◽  
Street Children ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Hidden Population ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Social Network Size

: Street children are a hard-to-reach population. Since the direct method is not feasible and has some limitations, we utilized the network scale-up (NSU) as an indirect method. This study was conducted in Shiraz municipalities. Our target population was Iranian boys between 10 to 18 years of age during the years 2014 to 2016. Three trained psychologists conducted face to face interviews with 86 street children (boys) on the streets, through the convenience sampling technique. The social network size of street boys in Shiraz was estimated at 17 persons (ranging from zero to 92 people, mean = 17 ± 17, median = 13). Overall, the network size of the hidden population might be smaller than the general population, due to the stigmatized nature of their behavior and place of work.

scholarly journals Monetary value of disability-adjusted life years lost from all causes in Mauritius in 2019

F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Laurent Musango ◽  
Ajoy Nundoochan ◽  
Philippe Van Wilder ◽  
Joses Muthuri Kirigia
Keyword(s):  
National Health ◽  
National Health System ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Disability Adjusted Life Years ◽  
Monetary Value ◽  
Disability Adjusted Life ◽  
Life Years ◽  
The Republic

Background: The Republic of Mauritius had a total of 422,567 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from all causes in 2019. This study aimed to estimate the monetary value of DALYs lost in 2019 from all causes in Mauritius and those projected to be lost in 2030; and to estimate the monetary value of DALYs savings in 2030 if Mauritius were to attain the national targets related to five targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 on good health and well-being. Methods: The human capital approach was used to monetarily value DALYs lost from 157 causes in 2019. The monetary value of DALYs lost in 2019 from each cause was calculated from the product of net gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Mauritius and the number of DALYs lost from a specific cause. The percentage reductions implied in the SDG3 targets were used to project the monetary values of DALYs expected in 2030. The potential savings equal the monetary value of DALYs lost in 2019 less the monetary value of DALYs expected in 2030. Results:  The DALYs lost in 2019 had a total monetary value of Int$ 9.46 billion and a mean value of Int$ 22,389 per DALY. Of this amount, 84.2% resulted from non-communicable diseases; 8.7% from communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases; and 7.1% from injuries. Full attainment of national targets related to the five SDG3 targets would avert DALYs losses to the value of Int$ 2.4 billion. Conclusions: Diseases and injuries cause a significant annual DALYs loss with substantive monetary value. Fully achieving the five SDG3 targets could save Mauritius nearly 8% of its total GDP in 2019. To achieve such savings, Mauritius needs to strengthen further the national health system, other systems that tackle the social determinants of health, and the national health research system.

Eating Habits of Young Persons for Healthy Aging

2018 ◽  
pp. 343-356
Author(s):  
Simon T. Cheung ◽  
Susan Dawkes
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Ischemic Heart Disease ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Ischemic Heart ◽  
Consumption Behavior ◽  
Reduced Risk

Fruits and vegetables are important parts of healthy eating and they provide excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber in our diet. Those who consume fruits and vegetables regularly have a reduced risk of many chronic diseases. According to the WHO, inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables may have contributed to as much as 14% of gastrointestinal cancer deaths and 11% of deaths resulted from ischemic heart disease worldwide. Since 2011, Hong Kong has been promoting a “2 Plus 3 a day” diet campaign aiming to raise the general public's awareness on consuming a minimum of 2 portions of fruits and 3 portions of vegetables a day. However, recent statistics showed that nearly 81% of people aged 18 – 64 failed to meet this requirement. This paper focuses on investigating the determinants of fruits and vegetables consumption behavior among university students in Hong Kong.

Adherence to treatment in psychiatry

2020 ◽  
pp. 193-204
Author(s):  
Amy Chan ◽  
Rob Horne
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Treatment Adherence ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Patient Perspective ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Adherence To Treatment ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Adherence Support

Adherence to treatment in psychiatry is pivotal for achieving and maintaining good health outcomes. Yet, despite the vast amount of research into adherence, treatment adherence remains suboptimal. There is a need for everyone to take an active role in addressing non-adherence if we are to realize the full benefits of available treatments. This chapter introduces the concept of adherence and discusses the factors influencing adherence in psychiatry. The adherence literature is then reviewed, and results from past adherence interventions summarized to explain why non-adherence occurs from an individual patient perspective. A perceptions and practicalities approach to adherence is then presented to help guide the design and delivery of patient-centred adherence support. This chapter serves as a practical guide to adherence for health care providers and others interested in supporting adherence to treatment in psychiatry.

scholarly journals Effects of social network diversity in the disablement process: a comparison of causal inference methods and an outcome-wide approach to the Indonesian Family Life Surveys, 2007–2015

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Schröders ◽  
Fatwa Sari Tetra Dewi ◽  
Maria Nilsson ◽  
Mark Nichter ◽  
Miguel San Sebastian
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Family Life ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Disablement Process ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Background Social networks (SN) have been proven to be instrumental for healthy aging and function as important safety nets, particular for older adults in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite the importance of interpreting health outcomes in terms of SN, in many LMICs – including Indonesia – epidemiological studies and policy responses on the health effects of SN for aging populations are still uncommon. Using outcome-wide multi-method approaches to longitudinal panel data, this study aims to outline more clearly the role of SN diversity in the aging process in Indonesia. We explore whether and to what degree there is an association of SN diversity with adult health outcomes and investigate potential gender differences, heterogeneous treatment effects, and effect gradients along disablement processes. Methods Data came from the fourth and fifth waves of the Indonesian Family Life Survey fielded in 2007–08 and 2014–15. The analytic sample consisted of 3060 adults aged 50+ years. The primary exposure variable was the diversity of respondents’ SN at baseline. This was measured through a social network index (SNI), conjoining information about household size together with a range of social ties with whom respondents had active contact across six different types of role relationships. Guided by the disablement process model, a battery of 19 outcomes (8 pathologies, 5 impairments, 4 functional limitations, 2 disabilities) were included into analyses. Evidence for causal effects of SN diversity on health was evaluated using outcome-wide multivariable regression adjustment (RA), propensity score matching (PSM), and instrumental variable (IV) analyses. Results At baseline, 60% of respondents had a low SNI. Results from the RA and PSM models showed greatest concordance and that among women a diverse SN was positively associated with pulmonary outcomes and upper and lower body functions. Both men and women with a high SNI reported less limitations in performing activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) tasks. A high SNI was negatively associated with C-reactive protein levels in women. The IV analyses yielded positive associations with cognitive functions for both men and women. Conclusions Diverse SN confer a wide range of strong and heterogeneous long-term health effects, particularly for older women. In settings with limited formal welfare protection, intervening in the SN of older adults and safeguarding their access to diverse networks can be an investment in population health, with manifold implications for health and public policy.

PP142 Is Insulin Therapy Important For The Quality Of Life Of Diabetics?

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (S1) ◽  
pp. 122-122
Author(s):  
Paulo Henrique Ribeiro Fernandes Almeida ◽  
Thales Brendon Castano Silva ◽  
Lívia Lovato Pires de Lemos ◽  
Francisco de Assis Acúrcio ◽  
Augusto Afonso Guerra Júnior ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Regression Model ◽  
Insulin Therapy ◽  
National Health System ◽  
Multiple Linear Regression Model ◽  
Severe Hypoglycemia ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significance Level

Introduction:Quality of life (QoL) is an important health measure and is widely used to assess the difference between treatments for Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) since the desirable glycemic control and the minimization of episodes of hypoglycemia are fundamental aspects for a better QoL. This study aims to identify the factors associated with QoL in patients with T1DM.Methods:A cross-sectional study (approved by ethics committee) was carried out in the state of Minas Gerais with 401 T1DM patients who used insulin glargine (GLA) selected in March 2017, and 179 patients who used insulin-neutral protamine (NPH) selected between January and February 2014, and both groups were treated by Brazilian National Health System (SUS). A questionnaire with three blocks was used: A) sociodemographic data; B) clinical data and access to the service; and C) QoL by Euroqol (EQ-5D-3L). We used multiple linear regression model by the forward stepwise method to access the correlation between the utilities of the EQ-5D-3L and all the explanatory variables (blocks A and B). We adopted the significance level and confidence interval of 95 percent (95% CI).Results:Of the 580 patients evaluated, 54 percent were women, 47 percent were in the age group between 18–40 years, 53 percent reported to be non-black. The EQ-5D-3L analysis showed patients treated with insulin analogue GLA had an average utility of 0.849 and those treated with NPH insulin 0.722 (p < 0.000). Individuals young, very good/good health self-perception, having not been bedridden in the last 15 days, zero to three medical appointments in the last year, no hospitalization in the last year, regular physical activity in the last 15 days to practice physical exercise, having between zero and three comorbidities and no severe hypoglycemia in the last 30 days were explained 41.3 percent of QoL. The type of insulin therapy, GLA or NPH, did not enter into the final multiple regression model.Conclusions:The findings of this study pointed to a lack of correlation between insulin therapy and QoL of patients with T1DM. Sociodemographic and clinical factors were more important to explain the QoL of diabetics. In addition, the evidence pointed to the importance of episodes of hypoglycemia for Qol. Of the 191 episodes of hypoglycemia (non-severe and severe) reported, 66 percent were from patients treated with GLA.

Punching Above its Weight: Current and Future Aging Policy in Malta

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (8) ◽  
pp. 1384-1391
Author(s):  
Marvin Formosa ◽  
Charles Scerri
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Gender Inequalities ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Aging Policy

Abstract Malta has been at the forefront in aging policy and healthy aging development. It was the first country to highlight the need of a United Nations-led international action plan aimed at meeting the needs of an emerging global aging population. Through a number of initiatives, Malta has managed to put aging as a top priority on its national policy agenda. The country boasts of the longest life span spent in good health among all European Union countries with its inhabitants expected to live a significant portion of their life free of disability. Malta’s ranking in the Active Ageing Index experienced consistent improvements in the past decade, registering the sharpest progress in the European Union. In response to an increase in individuals with dementia, Malta was also among the first countries to adopt a national strategic policy for dementia. Notwithstanding such significant progress, Malta still lags behind in developing policy directions addressing gender inequalities and minority groups’ interests among its older population. Similar to other Southern European countries, Malta’s accelerated rate of population aging raises concerns with regard to economic growth, sustainability of effective health care and pension systems, and the well-being of older persons. Gender will also feature prominently in the future planning of long-term care policy as older women are projected to increase threefold in the foreseeable years with the high risk of poverty associated with older single and widowed women, implying that a few would be able to opt for private care.

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