Does
Obesity Contribute to Aging?
An article in the May 2007 issue of Science Daily, reported that
maintaining a healthy body weight during adult years my help prevent or
delay the onset of physical disability associated with aging.
Researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine found worse
physical performance in older adults with a history of obesity in young
or midlife than in those with a history of normal weight or who gained
weight after midlife.
Suggestions of possible explanations for these findings are that
obesity may contribute to:
- Joint wear and tear,
- Reduced exercise capacity,
- Decreased physical activity and muscle
strength,
- Higher rate of cardiovascular disease,
- Increased risk of diabetes,
- Higher rate of arthritis.
This may result in poor physical performance and may lead to premature
physical disability and other difficulties usually associated with
aging.
Denise Houston, Ph.D., R.D, suggested that, “Interventions to
prevent overweight and obesity in young and middle-age adults may be
useful in preventing or delaying the onset of physical disability later
in life.”
Another study published in 2007 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, suggested weight gain may contribute to the aging process of men.
Researchers found that a 4 to 5 kg/m2 increase in body mass index (BMI) was associated with declines in total serum T (testosterone levels) comparable to that associated with aging approximately 10 years. The faster than normal drop in testosterone levels also increases the risk of diabetes and sexual dysfunction.
A 4 kg/m2 increase in BMI is the equivalent of a 6 foot man gaining approximately 30 pounds. The study found that even a slight increase in BMI may speed up the aging process.
Weight Loss a Laughing Matter
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center studied the energy expended when people laugh. They determined that laughing 15 minutes a day can burn 40 extra calories. If done every day this would have a cumulative effect of over 4 pounds of fat burned in a year.
Fifteen facial muscles contract when laughing. Laughter also exercises the abdominal muscles as well as the diaphragm. Just as with other exercise laughter can apparently increase metabolism. They compared resting metabolic rates with laughing metabolic rates. They found that laughing increased the metabolic rate by about 20%.
So laughing not only makes people feel good and contributes to good health, it also expends energy and burn calories.
Weight Loss and Bladder Control
The National Institutes of Health reported that losing a modest amount of weight through increased physical activity and dietary changes increased bladder control in prediabetic women. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are related and according to a study of women who participated in the Diabetes Prevention Program, those who lost 5-7% of their weight through intensive lifestyle changes had fewer episodes of weekly incontinence compared to those who used metformin or a placebo.
This means that a woman weighing 180 pounds, who loses 9 pounds, would not only reduce her risk of type 2 diabetes, but could also improve her bladder control. Stress incontinence, leakage during coughing, sneezing or exercising, was reduced by weight loss. Urge incontinence, leakage at unexpected times was not alleviated by weight loss.
