Have you ever thought that after getting old, "illness comes like a mountain", in fact, in middle age, hidden dangers have been buried?
Recently, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the transition from middle age to old age of 55 to 65 years old may determine a person's future health path.
Life Times (search for "LT0385" in WeChat to follow) combined with this research interview experts to teach you to live a critical decade of determining health and improve the quality of life in your later years.
Experts interviewed
Tang Wenbin, deputy director of the Health Management Center of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University
Yao Haiyan, deputy director of the Physical Examination Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University
The author of this article is | Life Times reporter Gao Yang
This article was edited | Xu Wenting
55 years old is a key point of health
Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in the United States conducted a 20-year follow-up study of middle-aged women of multiple races, including health measurements, laboratory measurements, and imaging assessments, to identify factors affecting the deterioration of middle-aged women by comparing their scores 55-year-old women with their scores 10 years later.
The results found that at age 55, about 20 percent of women experienced a significant clinical decline in health. Poor baseline physical health and functioning, high body mass index, low level of education, smoking, chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, etc.), depression are all associated with a decline in overall physical scores.
"55 to 65 years old is a critical decade." The researchers said: "This period may determine their future health path." The good news is that most middle-aged women are in good physical condition, but women at higher risk should not be careless and must intervene in a targeted manner to get back on the track of health. ”
The World Health Organization has defined "elderly people" as people over 60 years old, while some developed countries in the West believe that 65 years old is the dividing point. According to the life conditions of modern people, the World Health Organization has proposed a new division of age in life stages: adults under 44 years old are young; 45 to 59 years old are middle-aged; 60 to 74 years old are young elderly people, and over 75 years old are really old people.
It is not difficult to find that the stage of 55 to 65 years old is the transition from middle age to old age in the decade of "carrying on the upper and lower levels", and the physical condition will directly affect the health of the old age.
Women to 55 years old, ovarian function has gradually declined, most people have menopause, lost the protective effect of estrogen on blood vessels, endocrine levels fell off a cliff, the body is more likely to be invaded by various diseases, common cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, breast cancer and so on.
Men are over 55 years old and face a hurdle. Men enter menopause later than women, but they last longer, sometimes even until around the age of 70. At this stage, the level of androgens in the male body declines, and it is easy to metabolic disorders, fortune, memory loss, fatigue, dizziness and even discomfort, and the risk of prostate diseases and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases increases. The American Heart Association has found that people aged 45 to 64, especially men, are more likely to be knocked down by stroke.
6 major factors consume good health
When people reach middle age, the function of various organs begins to decline, and between the ages of 55 and 65, the physical function declines rapidly, and the physical strength begins to gradually deteriorate. At this time, the prevention of various risk factors is more important, which is a critical period for disease prevention and anti-aging.
1
Poor physical functioning
A study released by Virginia Commonwealth University in the United States shows that Americans are getting worse and worse, and health problems mainly occur around the age of 50.
In recent years, although the average life expectancy of mainland residents has steadily increased and the health literacy of residents has reached a new high, there are large differences in the situation of different age groups. From the perspective of healthy life expectancy, the health risk of people aged 55 to 65 is greater.
2
There is a lot of visceral fat
A European study showed that 35 to 40 years old is the peak period for women to gain weight, and men are most likely to gain weight at 40 to 45 years old.
After the age of 55, the basal metabolic rate of the human body is getting lower and lower, it is easy to get fat, but it is difficult to lose weight. In addition, people at this stage are generally stressed, socialize, and sleep poorly, and they are more likely to have a "beer belly".
Excessive visceral fat will increase the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, heart hypertrophy, and even carcinogenicity.
3
Low level of education
A British study found that at age 65, the people with the lowest level of education (9 years and less) had a disability-free life expectancy of 1.7 years (women) and 1.1 years (men) compared to those with the highest levels of education (12 years and more).
Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University found that the prevalence and incidence of dementia in the elderly in China, especially those with low academic qualifications, showed an upward trend by comparing the data of the Shanghai area for 20 years.
4
Smoking habits
Over the past 30 years, smoking has caused more than 200 million deaths worldwide. There are more than 350 million smokers on the mainland, and the average age of first smoking is only 19.7 years old.
In recent years, with the popularity of e-cigarettes, smoking has become a "new fashion". Studies have found that even smoking for 1 day is harmful to the body, smoking for 5 years can cause pneumonia, and cancer cells that smoke for 30 years may have already broken the immune system. According to statistics, more than 90% of lung cancer patients and more than 80% of women have a history of smoking.
5
High incidence of chronic diseases
According to the data of the National Cause of Death Monitoring System, the prevalence of hypertension in people over 60 years old is as high as 58.3%, the prevalence of diabetes is as high as 19.4%, and more than 75% of the elderly have at least 1 chronic disease.
The top three causes of death in the elderly over the age of 65 are cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease and malignant tumors, accounting for more than 70% of the deaths of the elderly population.
The onset of osteoporosis is also closely related to age, and men over 50 years old and women over 45 years old are the high incidence of osteoporosis.
6
Depression, poor mentality
According to the World Health Organization, the peak incidence of depression is in the elderly population, with the prevalence of women aged 55 to 74 years being 7.5% higher.
Once you enter menopause, or after retirement, both men and women will have different degrees of sensitivity, nervousness, suspiciousness, and even loneliness and fear.
In the long run, it is easy to suffer from depression, which in turn increases the risk of physical diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Good habits extend healthy lifespans
The health of middle-aged people should be intervened as early as possible, even at the age of 30. Even if you reach the middle age and enter retirement life, you can't give up improving your health, and through reasonable exercise and adjustment of mentality, you can completely delay the aging process.
As long as you grasp the 10 years of 55 to 65 years old, it will help you be happy in your old age and enjoy more healthy life.
Eat a light diet
Middle-aged office workers are busy every day, and there are many social interactions, and the diet should pay attention to lightness, and try to eat less high-salt and high-fat foods.
Fifty or sixty years old middle-aged and elderly people should pay attention to prevent muscle loss, can not eat too vegetarian, to appropriately supplement high-quality protein, milk, eggs, lean meat, poultry, fish and shrimp and soybean products are good sources, help improve immunity.
Stick to good habits
Maintain good living habits, try not to brush the mobile phone before going to bed, sleep no less than 7 hours a day; quit smoking and alcohol as soon as possible; pay attention to keep warm, especially when changing seasons, to prevent colds; usually go out more activities, basking in the sun, help the synthesis of vitamin D in the body, prevent sarcopenia, and maintain skeletal muscle health.
Control high body weight
Studies have shown that the body mass index (the square of body weight kilograms / height meters) of middle-aged and elderly people over 50 years old is between 18.5 and 24, and they are more likely to live longer. Middle-aged and elderly people over the age of 55 should pay attention to controlling waist circumference.
Women with a waistline of more than 85 centimeters and a male waistline of more than 90 centimeters are obese. It is recommended to control the body mass index between 18.5 and 24, and the elderly over 65 years old can be slightly higher, but should not exceed 25.
Exercise in moderation, but do not exercise vigorously. Middle-aged people under the age of 50 can combine some strength-type equipment training on the basis of aerobic exercises such as cycling, playing ball, aerobics, yoga, etc. People over the age of 50 try not to practice vigorously, and can choose walking, jogging, tai chi, dancing, etc. according to their own situation.
Be at peace
You should stay social and make new friends when you retire. Don't give up the opportunity to learn when you're older, try new hobbies and develop an artistic or athletic skill. Psychologically, we must learn to do "addition and subtraction", less desire, more blandness.
In the face of changes, you should try to keep a normal mind and avoid mood swings. When encountering troubles, you should talk to your family and friends more, and if necessary, seek professional psychological counseling services.
The physical examination cannot be forgotten
It is recommended that women over 45 years old and men over 50 years old do a routine physical examination every year, and according to their own conditions, they will supplement some items in a targeted manner, such as cardiovascular examination, tumor screening, bone density testing, etc.
Understand the signs of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in advance, such as sudden chest pain, irritability, sweating, breathing difficulties, etc., so that you can identify in time and seek medical treatment as soon as possible. ▲
Editor: Jie Zhang
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