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Women in their seventies who exercise and eat healthy amounts offruits and vegetables have a longer life expectancy, according toresearch published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Researchers at the University of Michigan and Johns HopkinsUniversity studied 713 women aged 70 to 79 years who took part inthe Women's Health and Aging Studies. This study was designed toevaluate the causes and course of physical disability in olderwomen living in the community. "A number of studies have measured the positive impact of exerciseand healthy eating on life expectancy, but what makes this studyunique is that we looked at these two factors together," explainslead author, Dr. Emily J Nicklett, from the University of MichiganSchool of Social Work. Researchers found that the women who were most physically activeand had the highest fruit and vegetable consumption were eighttimes more likely to survive the five-year follow-up period thanthe women with the lowest rates. To estimate the amount of fruits and vegetables the women ate, theresearchers measured blood levels of carotenoids - beneficial plantpigments that the body turns into antioxidants, such asbeta-carotene. The more fruits and vegetables consumed, the higherthe levels of carotenoids in the bloodstream. Study participants' physical activity was measured through aquestionnaire that asked the amount of time the spent doing variouslevels of physical activity, which was then converted to the numberof calories expended. The women were then followed up to establish the links betweenhealthy eating, exercise and survival rates. Key research findings included: More than half of the 713 participants (53%) didn't do anyexercise, 21% were moderately active, and the remaining 26% were inthe most active group at the study's outset. During the five-year follow up, 11.5% of the participants died.Serum carotenoid levels were 12% higher in the women who survivedand total physical activity was more than twice as high. Women in the most active group at baseline had a 71% lowerfive-year death rate than the women in the least active group. Women in the highest carotenoid group at baseline had a 46% lowerfive-year death rate than the women in the lowest carotenoid group. When taken together, physical activity levels and total serumcarotenoids predicted better survival. "Given the success in smoking cessation, it is likely thatmaintenance of a healthy diet and high levels of physical activitywill become the strongest predictors of health and longevity.Programs and policies to promote longevity should includeinterventions to improve nutrition and physical activity in older adults," said Dr. Nicklett. Additional References Citations. I am an expert from custom-printedglassware.com, while we provides the quality product, such as Glass Essential Oil Bottles , China Glass Candle Cups, Glass Essential Oil Bottles,and more.
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