Healthy Ageing – Rachel Thompson

Year on year, countries across the world continue to see an increase in life expectancy, largely attributed to the impact of modern medicine and disease eradication. There is now increasing evidence that environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle also have a significant role to play. However with this increase in years there often comes an unfortunate rise in chronic morbidity, with the quality of later life severely compromised by ill health. With age being the single greatest risk factor for a large proportion of common medical conditions, this latest report from the British Nutrition Foundation looks in detail at the role nutrition and physical activity can play in ensuring that the older adults of tomorrow can lead not only longer, but healthier lives. Written by a team of well known and respected experts Describes the role of diet and lifestyle in the ageing process of the major body organs and tissues including the brain, heart, gastrointestinal tract, musculoskeletal tissues, eyes, teeth and skin, as well as immune and endocrine systems Provides essential information for anyone involved in promoting health and quality of life for older people Each chapter includes a summary of the key points, as well as important recommendations to help identify long-term strategies for healthy ageing An overview of the main messages of the report are provided in a practical question and answer format suitable for lay readers Full of invaluable information on a subject which is set to increase in importance as the average age of populations rise worldwide, this book is crucial reading for students of nutrition, dietetics and food science, clinical nutritionists, public health nutritionists and policy makers. It will also provide an excellent reference for those working in the food industry and for nutritional supplement manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies.