How Long Will You Live?

Perhaps you've seen the latest health news.....scientists are concerned that our overweight and obese population will not live as long as previous generations. USA Today recently reported that "Obesity could shorten the average lifespan of an entire generation - today's children - by two to five years, according to a controversial new life-expectancy analysis" (Source: Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY). In ancient Rome, a newborn child could expect to live to . In the 's, in the US, was the average life expectancy. In , the average life expectancy was years. Between -, the population of those over doubled, and by the year , the group of people aged and over will have grown from million in to . billion. (Source: Donna M. De Cunzo, R.D., L.D.) Life expectancy for Americans today is . years, an all-time high. No doubt about it, obesity and all the related physical problems that come with obesity, are causing some serious issues for us and our health. Now more than ever, it's critical that we take the time to exercise and educate ourselves on healthy eating! Obesity is the problem, and WE can be part of the solution! Researchers at Tuft's University have studied aging. They have come up with the following five factors, which they call biomarkers, that can help people live longer and improve the quality of their life. . DIET. As the body ages, it requires fewer calories. Men and women and older need to fewer calories per day than those younger than age . This decrease may be due to a natural decline in metabolic rate and/or decreased physical activity. However, the need for essential nutrients does not changed. Thus, there is not much room for high calorie, low nutrient foods. According to the USDA's Human Consumption Survey, those over were found to consume less than % of the RDA for B, B, calcium, magnesium and vitamin A. Even for those who require special diets to treat diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure, a diet low in animal products and high in fiber (from whole grains, fruits and vegetables) is beneficial. . LEAN BODY MASS. Lean body mass, or muscle mass, generally decreases at a rate of % per decade after age . When LBM decreases, disuse syndrome occurs, resulting in obesity, fragility, depression and decreased cardiovascular function. This is why it's critical to engage in regular resistance exercise throughout life! . BODY FAT PERCENTAGE. Keeping body fat down and lean body mass up is important in preventing injury and disease. . AEROBIC CAPACITY. Exercise aerobically at least times a week, keeping the heart rate at about % of maximum for minutes or longer. . STRENGTH. Weight bearing exercise is especially important in reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Dr. Bill Evans studied a group of people at age who needed assistance with daily tasks and had a history of falling. Dr. Evans had the group lift % of their one repetition maximum weight for an eight week period. After eight weeks, the group increased muscle strength by % and increased LBM by %. (Source: Dr. Bill Evans and Dr. Irv Rosenberg of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center at Tuft's University.) The take-home message is that obesity causes a lot of health problems. As a nation, our weight issue has gotten so out of hand that it may impact overall life expectancy. However, WE CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION by engaging in regular exercise (both aerobic and resistance exercise) and by watching what we eat. This is especially true as we get older. So, while nobody really knows how long we'll live, we can certainly tip the odds in our favor!