Forums » Open clinical » Diabetes » Keeping active even for 80-year-olds lowers mortality a lot
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Keeping active even for 80-year-olds lowers mortality a lot
posted at 19/1/2013 10:48 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 453
First: 29/4/2011 Last: 14/5/2013 |
Walking four times weekly for at least 15min is associated with longevity in a Cohort of very elderly people.Maturitas. 2012 Dec 29. pii: S0378-5122(12)00400-8. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2012.12.001. [Epub ahead of print] AbstractOBJECTIVES:This study investigated the role of walking outdoors on longevity, controlling for individual and other life-style factors as possible confounders. METHODS: A 10-year cohort study was conducted with 152 self-caring and mobile, mean age 80 years, were enrolled in the study. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, clinical and biochemical data, diet, physical activity, smoking, depression status, cognitive status and anthropometrics measurements, were obtained for all participants. Cox proportional-hazards models were used to determine independent predictors of longevity. RESULTS:During the 10-years of follow-up, 96 (63%) died. Old age, chronic diseases, smoking, depression, CD4/CD8 ratio and coffee consumption were significantly predictors of mortality. Over-all survival was highest for subjects walking at open air for 4 times weekly for at least 15min in comparison to subjects walking less than 4 times weekly (40% versus 22%). After adjusting for sex, age, education, chronic diseases, smoking, Body Mass Index and CD4/CD8 ratio, elderly people walking at open air for four times weekly had 40% decreased risk of mortality that individuals who walked less than four times weekly [relative risk (RR)=0.53; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.32-0.88, p=0.01]. CONCLUSIONS:Findings suggest an independent and protective effect of walking on mortality and supports the encouragement of physical activity in advanced age for increasing longevity. COMMENT: Interesting especially for those of us who treat older persons (or are older persons). While there was a clear selection bias, after all they were on average 80-years-old and there were no cancer deaths; nevertheless, we should take heart and tell our patients that the benefits of physicial activity continue into old, old age. |
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Re: Keeping active even for 80-year-olds lowers mortality a lot
posted at 20/1/2013 4:31 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2952
First: 10/3/2009 Last: 25/5/2013 |
or could it just be that those who are fitter and with better protoplasm walk more anyway and are more and are likely to live longer. There is also the problem that the longer you live, the longer you live. It is not like the fuse of a gunpowder trail which, when lit, ends up going off at the finite end. The life-expectancy of an 84 year old Australian male is 6.4 years and for a male of 100 years and over, it is nearly 3 years. If you are walking around the block a few times a day and go to the races after church and do cryptic crosswords, you are unlikely to die the next year although the life expectancy of male Australian neonate is 79 years and 83.7 years for a girl which shows that having a Y chromosome and fighting wars, driving cars foolishly, doing dangerous things and going on binges takes its toll. Nursing homes are full of lonely old women. My endocrine friend has only one morbidly obese male over 80 years in his practice.
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Re: Keeping active even for 80-year-olds lowers mortality a lot
posted at 20/1/2013 9:12 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1271
First: 13/4/2010 Last: 23/5/2013 |
I'm not entirely comfortable with the notion that everyone aged 80 wants to live at least another 10 years. Some will, some won't. Of course it's good to keep fit for your physical, mental and social well being whether your 8 or 80 and I think that's what we should focus on rather than the fact it might give you an extra year or two. Yet again we have a study describing relative benefit and not actual benefit. If I read things correctly then overall 35% of this group lived at least another 10 years. Of these 35% two thirds did the 4x a week exercise. So if you do the 4x a week exercise then you have a 23% of surviving for another 10 years - but that means a 77% chance of not. |
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Re: Keeping active even for 80-year-olds lowers mortality a lot
posted at 20/1/2013 11:57 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1790
First: 7/3/2009 Last: 24/5/2013 |
Being physically active at old age is associated with lower mortality. Whether it is a causality factor or an association due to the fact that people in better health walk more, is a question. Anyhow, walking encourages better circulation, working of muscles and helps in preventing bone loss. Plus it also works to improve mood. Open air walks are good for you at any age.
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Re: Keeping active even for 80-year-olds lowers mortality a lot
posted at 20/1/2013 2:24 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 3045
First: 27/3/2012 Last: 20/5/2013 |
Exercises, especially walking and dietary control is very important for all, particularly for the elderly to prevent mortality from cardiovascular disorders as well as glycaemic, and mental control. These facts have already been established. The present study is very important to re-enforce these findings. |
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Re: Keeping active even for 80-year-olds lowers mortality a lot
posted at 20/1/2013 3:10 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1271
First: 13/4/2010 Last: 23/5/2013 |
I wonder if we could stop using the phrase "lowers mortality" - as well all know life is a sexually transmitted disease with a mortality rate of 100%
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Re: Keeping active even for 80-year-olds lowers mortality a lot
posted at 20/1/2013 8:41 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1790
First: 7/3/2009 Last: 24/5/2013 |
In Response to Re: Keeping active even for 80-year-olds lowers mortality a lot: I wonder if we could stop using the phrase "lowers mortality" - as well all know life is a sexually transmitted disease with a mortality rate of 100% Posted by skyesteve Nobody denies the fact that we all will pass away at some point. The question is when and how. I would say that it can be nice to stay longer and in adequate health status. When I was younger, it looked to me that 60-70 years old people are old. Well, not anymore. In our times 80 should not be considered very old and ready to go. And being 90+ and adequately active should not be considered science fiction.
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Re: Keeping active even for 80-year-olds lowers mortality a lot
posted at 20/1/2013 8:53 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1271
First: 13/4/2010 Last: 23/5/2013 |
Ah but Yoram, as I have said before, it's healthy life expectancy that really matters. I have no desire to live an extra 10 years if it's 10 years of pain, incontinence, immobility and senility. |
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Re: Keeping active even for 80-year-olds lowers mortality a lot
posted at 20/1/2013 9:33 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 453
First: 29/4/2011 Last: 14/5/2013 |
No argument here, but this is what these studies are aimed at, increasing in the jargon-Quality of Life Years or QOLYs. You've got to admit (or then again maybe not) that our aim is to improve duration and quality of life. We can't fix genes and bad luck, but we can study what benefits certain life habits inpart leading to a more likely healthy, long life and what ones do not. |
Forums » Open clinical » Diabetes » Keeping active even for 80-year-olds lowers mortality a lot
