Disease prevention: Physician tasks elderly people on healthy lifestyles
Disease prevention: Physician tasks elderly people on healthy lifestyles
The Society of Lifestyle Medicine of Nigeria (SOLONg) has advised older people to pay attention to their health by adopting healthy lifestyles to reduce risks of ailments associated with aging.
The President of the association, Dr Moyosore Makinde, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
Makinde underscored the role lifestyle medicine played in the management of aging-related aliments particularly hypertension and other Non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
According to her, hypertension is relatively easy to manage through a combination of lifestyle interventions and cost-effective medications, but levels of awareness, treatment, and control are still low.
She defined ageing as the process of growing older, which was usually associated with changes in physical, mental, and social health.
The physician said older people should take their health seriously by eating healthy foods accompanied with lifestyle modifications and regular medical checkups and screenings.
According to her, a healthy lifestyle can help to support and promote healthy ageing by reducing the risk of chronic diseases and other health issues.
“It is important to follow healthy lifestyle steps as we age; maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress levels, and staying socially connected can also help to promote healthy ageing.
“Eat a healthy diet and include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins in your diet. Get enough sleep, at least seven hours of quality sleep per night.
“Get regular check-ups and preventive screenings to detect any health issues early, make safety a priority, limit alcohol consumption, practice good hygiene and engage in regular physical activities,” she said.
Makinde explained that a healthy lifestyle was a way of living that was focused on making healthy choices in all aspects of life.
According to her, by taking charge of their health status, older people can help in reducing risks of developing some of the ailments associated with aging such as hypertension, cancer, stroke, diabetes among others.
She said there was dramatic increase in hypertension prevalence among aged Nigerian adults.
Makinde blamed the prevalence of hypertension condition in the country on imitation of western lifestyles, especially in diets.
According to her, studies show that the prevalence in adults aged 65 to 94 years is 73.8 per cent translating to three out of four older adults having high blood pressure.
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“It’s been shown that there is dramatic increase in hypertension prevalence with age which is number one fact that everyone must know.
“When hypertension develops, it is a risk factor for stroke and sudden death.
“Uncontrolled hypertension imposes an enormous economic burden on society. An estimated 10 per cent of global healthcare spending is directly related to hypertension and its complications.”
“Hence, the need for preventive lifestyle medicine to avert it,’’ she said.
She advised that junk and processed foods be reduced among elderly people; intake of salt, fats and oil in food should also be in moderation.
She noted that adequate intake of water was essential to maintain a healthy life when aging, saying that on normal circumstances an individual was expected to take at least four litres of water per day.
