Discover the Science of Health
Being physically active is vital to maintaining health and independence as we age, and a new federal campaign for people 50 and older will help them to get active and keep going. Introduced today by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Go4Life campaign encourages sedentary older adults to reap health benefits by making physical activity part of their daily lives. Only 25 percent of people aged 65-74 say they engage in regular physical activity.
Neuroimaging is one of the most promising research areas for detection of the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Using neuroimaging together with proteomics, researchers report in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease that a blood test may reflect the levels of beta amyloid protein in the brain — a hallmark of the disease [1]. The findings may eventually lead to a blood test that helps to predict the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Anxiety caused by stressful events like moving or losing a job is a normal part of life. Anxiety disorders, on the other hand, are characterized by persistent, excessive and disabling fear and worry and get progressively worse if left untreated. It is estimated that anxiety disorders affect between 3 and 14 percent of older adults in a given year. To provide an older audience with additional information, NIHSeniorHealth, the health and wellness website for older adults from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has added a topic about anxiety disorders.
Visitors to the website can learn about the risk factors, symptoms and treatments for generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and specific phobias such as fear of flying or fear of public speaking. Anxiety disorders can severely affect a person’s life, and they are often overlooked in older adults.
Good oral health is key to quality of life. When your mouth is healthy, you can eat the foods you need for good nutrition and can feel better about smiling, talking, and laughing. However, periodontal (gum) disease — an infection of the gums and tissues that hold teeth in place — can harm oral health and is a leading cause of tooth loss among older adults. Because it’s an important topic for seniors, a section on gum disease has just been added to NIHSeniorHealth.gov. It’s the premier health and wellness website for older adults developed by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM), both part of the National Institutes of Health.
“The new periodontal disease section on NIHSeniorHealth.gov is an excellent source of easy-to-understand information that will help older people learn about periodontal disease and how they can prevent it,” said Lawrence A. Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D., director of NIH’s National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. “Periodontal disease does not have to be a part of aging. Proper dental hygiene and regular dental visits can help people reduce their chance of developing periodontal disease as they age.”
