ABBOTT PARK, Ill. and WASHINGTON, May 4,
2016 /PRNewswire/ -- While Americans are redefining
what it means to age well and stay healthy, many adults 50 and over
are still feeling the effects of aging. AARP and Abbott surveyed
1,480 Americans aged 50 years and older and found that while a
majority see themselves in good health, one in two reported that
they wished they had more strength or energy to participate in the
activities they enjoy.1
The AARP-Abbott survey found that a majority of adults are
living healthier lives:
- 85 percent of those surveyed said they were in good or better
health.
- 82 percent of people said good nutrition was either very or
extremely important to their overall health.
- 74 percent said they exercise weekly and more than half (56
percent) did so more than three times a week.
- 57 percent said cardio was their preferred exercise, but other
more resistance exercises that also help build muscles– weights (24
percent) and yoga or stretching (14 percent) – were not as
common.
When it came to a person's muscle health, nearly three-fourths
(73 percent) of people surveyed knew that adults naturally lose
muscle with age, and 28 percent said they had already noticed some
loss. And despite the fact that two-thirds said they had concerns
about the impact of muscle loss, many respondents were not very
concerned about the loss at this time.
The benefits of making changes now to keep muscles healthy goes
beyond just having strength; muscles play a key role in a
person's movement, including balance, posture and the body's
metabolism.6 Muscle loss can also contribute to a lack
of energy, making normal activities, like carrying heavy groceries
or playing a game of golf, more difficult.
"Many of us expect to slow down as we get older, but the science
shows there's a lot we can do to prevent or delay some of the more
debilitating effects of aging," said Gabrielle Redford, Executive Editor, Health, for
AARP. "Exercising and eating right are critical to staying healthy,
starting in our 40s when we start to lose muscle mass, right
through our 50s, 60s and
beyond."
Changing the Muscle Mindset: Reversing Loss for Better
Health
The survey findings match the science that shows people
naturally start to lose up to 8 percent of muscle each decade
starting at 40 years old, which accelerates to 15 percent at age 70
and can worsen with an illness or health
setback.2-5
When asked in the survey, nearly all (95 percent) reported that
they had a serious or chronic health condition after turning age
50, and many listed the health of their muscles as a concern when
managing a health condition:
- Over a third (35 percent) reported being hospitalized due to
serious or chronic health conditions, and among those, loss of
strength (40 percent) and muscle loss (21 percent) were among their
top concerns during and/or after.
- More than 60 percent said their top concerns of losing muscles
are having decreased mobility, loss of strength and loss of
independence; while more than half surveyed listed being less
active and the ability to fight infections as their top
concerns.
And these concerns aren't far from reality. In fact, you
can lose lean body mass – made up mostly by muscles – up to three
times faster when you are sick or injured, making it harder to
recover and get back to daily activities.7 The good
news: rebuilding muscle is possible.
Fueling the Body to Build Back Up
While age- and illness-related muscle loss is inevitable,
exercise and nutrition can help rebuild strength – and protein is a
critical part of the recipe. In the survey, 62 percent of adults
believed they get enough protein and 70 percent have increased
their intake of high-protein foods to minimize the risk of muscle
loss. Yet, a majority of people did not know how much protein they
actually need – when asked, only 17 percent said they knew that
amount.
How much protein do adults really need? The recommended daily
amount is roughly 53 grams for a 150 pound adult.8
However, research shows that older adults may actually need about
two times this amount of protein.9 That's because people
start absorbing and storing nutrients like protein differently as
they age.
"Fueling the body with the right nutrition – particularly
proteins and other muscle-building nutrients – is important for
overall health, and enables you to experience all that life has to
offer, whether that's playing with your grandchildren or your first
5K race," said Tiffany DeWitt, RD, a
registered dietitian at Abbott. "By keeping well-nourished with
age, you'll have more strength and energy to take on any challenge
from achieving everyday goals to recovering from a health
setback."
All adults over 50 should have regular muscle health and
nutrition conversations with their doctors to help them create a
plan with regular exercise and good nutrition to live a healthier,
fuller life.
About the Survey
Abbott, the makers of Ensure, and AARP partnered to conduct an
independent survey to understand how AARP members viewed diet and
health issues as they age, including their muscle health. The
survey was fielded to members of a voluntary panel comprised of
U.S. AARP members aged 50 and older between
December 10 and December 31, 2015. A total of 1,480
respondents participated in the research.
About AARP:
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership
of nearly 38 million that helps people turn their goals and dreams
into 'Real Possibilities' by changing the way America defines
aging. With staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen
communities and promote the issues that matter most to families
such as healthcare security, financial security and personal
fulfillment. AARP also advocates for individuals in the marketplace
by selecting products and services of high quality and value to
carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and
information, AARP produces the world's largest circulation
magazine, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. AARP does not
endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to
political campaigns or candidates. To learn more, visit
www.aarp.org or follow @aarp and our CEO @JoAnn_Jenkins on
Twitter.
About Abbott:
At Abbott (NYSE: ABT), we're committed to helping you live your
best possible life through the power of health. For more than 125
years, we've brought new products and technologies to the world --
in nutrition, diagnostics, medical devices and branded generic
pharmaceuticals -- that create more possibilities for more people
at all stages of life. Today, 74,000 of us are working to help
people live not just longer, but better, in the more than 150
countries we serve.
Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews and
@AbbottGlobal.
References
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AARP and Abbott
Consumer Panel Report, January 2016.
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Larsson L, et al.
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Flakoll P, et al.
Nutrition. 2004;20:445-451.
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Baier S, et al. J
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RR Wolfe. Am J
Clin Nutr. 2006; 84(3): 475-482.
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Paddon-Jones D. Lean
body mass loss with age. Columbus, OH: Abbott Nutrition;
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Dietary Reference
Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate. Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids,
Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Institute of Medicine of
the National Academies, 2005. Available at:
http://www.nap.edu/read/10490/chapter/12#645.
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Kim I, et al. Am J
Physiol Endocrinol Metab.
2014;308:21-28.
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SOURCE Abbott