Todays Newsbites

The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) trial showed that older adults who follow a structured physical activity program can reduce mobility-disability by up to 28 percent. Based on these encouraging results, a pilot study was recently conducted by Tufts University to test the approach among older adults in an existing community setting.

The NU-AGE (New Dietary Strategies Addressing the Specific Needs of the Elderly Population for Healthy Aging in Europe) trial, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the effects of a Mediterranean-style diet combined with vitamin D3 supplementation on bone health. In this study, conducted in five European countries, participants were randomized to either follow a Mediterranean-style diet or maintain their current diet for a one-year period.

Black men and women had one and a half to two times higher risk for hypertension (high blood pressure) compared to white men and women, according to the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) study recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Following a vegan diet may promote weight loss and reduce insulin resistance in overweight individuals. A recent 16-week randomized clinical trial, published in the journal Nutrients, examined the role of carbohydrate consumption on body composition and insulin resistance.

According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundations 2018 State of Obesity report, obesity among American adults and children remains at an all-time high. According to the most recent national survey data, nearly 40 percent of American adults and 18.5 percent of children ages two to 19 are considered obese.

A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that consuming protein supplements did not help active older men build more muscle or gain more strength than resistance exercise training alone. Forty-one men with an average age of 70 completed whole-body resistance training three times a week for 12 weeks. Half the group drank a supplement containing 21 grams of protein after exercise and every night before bed. The other half drank a beverage with the same number of calories but no protein. At the end of the study period, while both groups were able to lift more weight and tests showed increased muscle mass, the protein group did not improve any more than the placebo group.

A study led by a Tufts researcher has found an association between levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the blood over time and healthy aging.

A recent review of prospective data published in the American Journal of Epidemiology provides one more excellent reason to get up and get moving. The study analyzed data from over 127,000 American men and women with a median age of around 20 years and followed up for 21 years.

Periodontitis, advanced gum disease caused by bacterial infection that damages the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth, may be linked to higher risk of certain cancers, according to a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The study, led by Tufts epidemiologist Dominique Michaud, ScD, analyzed data from dental exams of nearly 7,500 black and white older adults, and compared periodontal disease severity with incident cancers and cancer deaths during an average of 15 years of follow-up.

A recent study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that following a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern was associated with a longer life. This association has been seen before, but this research, along with a meta-analysis of similar studies conducted by the authors, looked specifically at individuals aged 65 years and older.