Daily Archives: 4 May 2024

Following a Mediterranean lifestyle is linked to a reduced risk of death from all-cause and cancer mortality

Individuals who follow a Mediterranean lifestyle, characterized by a diet abundant in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, eating habits that minimize the intake of added salts and sugars, and practices that encourage sufficient rest, regular physical activity, and social interactions, are found to have a significantly decreased risk of dying from any cause and from cancer. This conclusion comes from a new study conducted by La Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in collaboration with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The research further highlights that adherence to this lifestyle’s focus on adequate rest, physical exercise, and socializing lowers the risk of dying from heart disease.

The findings of this study are scheduled for publication in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings on Wednesday, August 16.

While numerous studies have underscored the health benefits of adopting a Mediterranean diet and overall lifestyle, there needs to be more research exploring the application of this diet beyond its traditional Mediterranean borders. The study presents evidence that adopting the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle is feasible for people outside the Mediterranean region using locally sourced products and adapting the lifestyle to fit their cultural contexts, according to Mercedes Sotos Prieto, the study’s lead author. She holds positions as a Ramon y Cajal research fellow at La Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and an adjunct assistant professor of environmental health at Harvard Chan School. The study underscores the adaptability of the Mediterranean lifestyle and its positive impact on health.

This research scrutinized the lifestyle habits of 110,799 UK Biobank participants, including a broad cross-section of individuals from England, Wales, and Scotland. The study employed the Mediterranean Lifestyle (MEDLIFE) index, based on responses to a lifestyle questionnaire and dietary assessments, to evaluate participants’ adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle. The participants, aged between 40 and 75, reported on their lifestyle across three main categories assessed by the index: “Mediterranean food consumption”, focusing on the intake of Mediterranean diet staples like fruits and whole grains; “Mediterranean dietary habits”, emphasizing mealtime practices, such as limiting salt intake and choosing healthy beverages; and “physical activity, rest, and social habits and conviviality” highlighting lifestyle practices like taking regular naps, exercising, and socializing. Scores were assigned within these categories, with higher scores indicating greater adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle.

Upon a nine-year follow-up to assess the participants’ health outcomes, the study found that out of the cohort, 4,247 individuals had passed away from all causes, 2,401 from cancer, and 731 from cardiovascular diseases. Analyzing these health outcomes of the MEDLIFE scores revealed an inverse relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle and mortality risk. Participants with higher MEDLIFE scores had a 29% lower risk of dying from any cause and a 28% reduced risk of dying from cancer compared to those with lower scores. Adherence to each MEDLIFE category was independently linked to a lower risk of all-cause and cancer mortality. Notably, the category “physical activity, rest, and social habits and conviviality” showed the strongest association with these reduced risks and was also linked to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.

More information: Javier Maroto-Rodriguez et al, Association of a Mediterranean Lifestyle With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Study from the UK Biobank, Mayo Clinic Proceedings. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2023.05.031

Journal information: Mayo Clinic Proceedings Provided by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Health behaviours build up and maintain a relatively consistent pattern throughout middle adulthood

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In a research project undertaken by the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences along with the Gerontology Research Center, it was noted that health behaviours are interconnected. Individuals displaying minimal physical activity also tend to consume the most alcohol, with a notable percentage also indulging in smoking. Conversely, healthier behaviours displayed similar patterns of interrelation.

Our research takes a unique approach. Instead of examining smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity as isolated behaviours, we delve into the reality that individuals usually engage in multiple health behaviours at once. As Johanna Ahola, a doctoral researcher at the Gerontology Research Center and Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, explains, this approach provides a more comprehensive understanding of health behaviours.

The research tracked the same group of individuals aged 42 in 2001, 50 in 2009, and 61 during 2020–2021. It was observed that health behaviour patterns largely remain stable through middle adulthood, although the study period did reveal some notably positive changes.

The findings of our research align with those of previous studies, providing a reassuring consistency. It was particularly heartening to see favourable behaviour changes over the years surveyed. There was a significant reduction in smoking, which might be attributable not just to ageing but also to the broader social context at the time. This suggests that as diseases become more common in middle adulthood, a greater emphasis on general health precautions and health-related objectives takes precedence, thus influencing behavioural adjustments.

The study also highlighted that sociodemographic factors influence health behaviour patterns. Women, married individuals, degree holders, and white-collar professionals tended to exhibit healthier behaviours. Moreover, personality traits such as higher levels of conscientiousness, openness, and agreeableness and lower levels of neuroticism and extraversion were also indicative of healthier behavioural choices.

“Integrating personality traits into the analysis of health behaviour patterns offered a fresh perspective compared to earlier studies,” Ahola added. “Previous observations have shown that highly extroverted individuals are generally more active physically. However, it was surprising to find in our study that lower levels of extraversion were associated with healthier behaviours, providing an intriguing insight for researchers in physical activity.”

More information: Johanna Ahola et al, Stability in health behavior patterns in middle adulthood: a 19-year follow-up study, Psychology and Health. DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2024.2316676

Journal information: Psychology and Health Provided by University of Jyväskylä

A study finds that perceptions of when ‘old age’ begins have shifted to a later age

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A recent study, published by the American Psychological Association, has unveiled a significant shift in the perception of old age among middle-aged and older adults. The study, featured in the journal Psychology and Aging, reveals that these adults now perceive the onset of old age to occur later in life, a stark contrast to the perceptions held by their counterparts several decades ago. The findings suggest that changes in life expectancy and health improvements over the years might be influencing these shifting perceptions, a discovery that holds profound implications for public health and policy.

Dr. Markus Wettstein, a renowned researcher from Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, has authored a groundbreaking study on the perception of old age. He notes that an increase in life expectancy could be a contributing factor to the later perceived onset of old age. Furthermore, he highlights that health advancements have reshaped societal views on ageing, leading to a shift in the perception of what constitutes old age. This shift, he argues, reflects medical and health improvements and changing societal attitudes towards ageing.

The study, which provides a comprehensive understanding of the shifting perceptions of old age, utilized data from the German Ageing Survey. This survey included responses from 14,056 individuals living in Germany who were born between 1911 and 1974. These participants were surveyed up to eight times from 1996 to 2021, providing a longitudinal perspective on their perceptions. The age range of the participants, from 40 to 100 years, and the inclusion of subsequent generations, aged 40 to 85 years, throughout the study, ensured a diverse and representative sample.

One key finding from the study is that participants born later reported perceiving the onset of old age later than those born earlier. For instance, participants born in 1911 believed that old age began at 71 when they were 65, whereas those born in 1956 considered the onset of old age to be at 74 when they were the same age. This indicates a gradual shift in the perception of what constitutes old age.

However, the study also noted a slowdown in this trend over the past two decades, indicating that the delay in perceiving old age might only continue for a while. Wettstein pointed out that the trend is not linear, and its future trajectory is uncertain.

Additionally, the research explored how individual perceptions of old age evolved as participants aged. It was found that individuals tended to view old age as beginning later in life with each passing year. For example, at age 64, the average age at which participants said old age started was 74.7, but by age 74, this had shifted to 76.8. The perceived onset of old age generally increases by about one year for every four to five years a person ages.

The study also examined differences in perceptions based on gender and health status. It found that women, on average, said old age started two years later than men, and this gender difference has grown over time. Furthermore, participants who reported feeling lonelier, in worse health, or older than their actual age believed that old age began earlier, compared to those who felt less lonely, were in better health, and felt younger.

These findings have broader implications for how individuals prepare for ageing and how older adults are viewed in society. Wettstein raised whether the trend towards postponing old age is due to more positive attitudes towards ageing or a desire to avoid the perceived negatives of being old.

The researchers recommend further studies to determine whether this trend will persist and suggest expanding the research to more diverse populations in various countries, including non-Western contexts, to understand better how cultural and societal factors influence ageing perceptions globally. This would help comprehensively understand the dynamics of ageing perceptions and their implications for public health and policy.

More information: Wettstein, M., Park, R., Kornadt, A. E., Wurm, S., Ram, N., & Gerstorf, D. Postponing old age: Evidence for historical change toward a later perceived onset of old age, Psychology and Aging. DOI: 10.1037/pag0000812

Journal information: Psychology and Aging Provided by American Psychological Association