Some interesting facts, and why its important to exercise and keep active as we get older. Well done to all of you for working to keep yourselves active and fit!
Chronic Diseases Linked to Inactivity
Cardiovascular Disease
Stroke
Diabetes (Type 2)
Osteoporosis
Arthritis
Obesity
Several Forms of Cancer
Colorectal, Breast, Endometrial, Lung, GI
Depression
Bone and Joint Health Issues are Growing at an Alarming Rate
Bone/Joint health problems have increased 45% from 1990-2010
Back pain : 632 million sufferers
Neck pain: 332 million sufferers
Osteoarthritis of the knee: 25 million sufferers
Other bone and joint conditions: 560 sufferers
Globally, 9 million adults have osteoporosis and over 48 million have low bone mass, resulting in 15 million fractures each year
50% of women (and 25% of men) over the age of 50 will have an osteoporosis fracture in their lifetime
A women’s risk for an osteoporotic-caused hip fracture is equal to her risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer combined
What is sarcopenia?
Age associated decline in muscle mass and muscle strength.
The ACSM observe that “the most often reported consequence of normal aging is the loss of skeletal muscle mass or sarcopenia” and that this occurs in “both males and females and corresponds to the critical age period of around 50 years when muscle atrophy becomes most noticeable”
Significance
By age 50, about ten percent of muscle area is gone.
After 50 years of age, the rate of accelerates significantly.
Muscle strength declines by approximately 15 percent per decade in the sixties and seventies and by about 30 percent thereafter.
Sarcopenia may contribute to several age-related chronic disorders and health related issues, such as:
– osteoporosis – greater risk of fall and fracture
– type 2 diabetes – reduction in metabolism
– insulin resistance – impaired thermoregulation ability
– arthritis – overall loss of functional ability
