Nutritional And Metabolical Aspects Of Aging

Metabolic Aspects of Aging, Volume 155, the latest release in the Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science series seeks to provide the most topical, informative and exciting monographs available on a wide variety of research topics related to prions, viruses, bacteria and eukaryotes. The series includes in-depth knowledge on the molecular, biological aspects of organismal physiology and function, with this release including chapters on Longevity, Metabolic Disease and Community Health, the Metabolic Aspects of Aging, Obesity, Metabolism, and Aging: A Multiscalar Approach, The Intersection of Curandismo and Western Medicine and Their Epidemiological Impact for Aging Mexican Americans, and more. Presents updated volumes comprising 15-20 chapters, allowing comprehensive coverage on a topic Uses tables, diagrams, schemata and color figures to enhance the reader's ability to rapidly grasp the information provided in each chapter

Nutrient metabolism, requirements, nutritional imbalances, and deficiencies of nutrients; and energy metabolism and obesity as a factor in the pathogenesis of diseases. In volume II, toxicological factors affecting nutritional status are discussed, specifically medications and alcohol/nutrient interactions. Other topics are: nutrition-related diseases which occur more frequently among the elderly, particularly cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, periodontal diseases, hypertension, diverticular disease, and anemias. Graphs, charts and references are included in each volume.

Humanity is aging. In the last century, life expectancy has increased by as much as 25 years, the greatest increase in 5'000 years of history. As a consequence the elderly constitute today the fastest growing segment of the world's population. This new situation creates many social problems and challenges to health care which both the developed as well as the developing countries will have to cope with. The present publication shows that scientific progress has reached a level where nutritional interventions may play a decisive part in the prevention of degenerative conditions of age, improvement of quality of life and impact on health care burden and resources. Topics deal with such different aspects as the influence of prenatal and early infant nutrition on the future aged individual and effects of energetic restriction on longevity. Further contributions include studies on mitochondrial alterations, digestive problems, specific metabolic deviations mediated by insulin, bone degradation, structural changes, neuromuscular dysfunctions, mental state of the elderly as well as the response of the immune system to nutrient intake. Finally the book offers a review of requirements appropriate to meet the age-related public health challenges of the 21st century.

This edited volume is a compilation of 30 articles discussing what constitutes food for health and longevity. The aim is to provide up-to-date information, insights, and future tendencies in the ongoing scientific research about nutritional components, food habits and dietary patterns in different cultures. The health-sustaining and health-promoting effects of food are certainly founded in its overall composition of macronutrients and micronutrients. However, the consumption of these nutrients is normally in the form of raw or prepared food from the animal and plant sources. The book is divided into four parts and a conclusion, and successfully convenes the well-established information and knowledge, along with the personal views of a diversified group of researchers and academicians on the multifaceted aspects of nutrition, food and diet. The first part reviews the scientific information about proteins, carbohydrates, fats and oils, micronutrients, pro- and pre-biotics, and hormetins, along with a discussion of the evolutionary principles and constraints about what is optimal food, if any. The second part discusses various kinds of foods and food supplements with respect to their claimed benefits for general health and prevention of some diseases. The third part brings in the cultural aspects, such as what are the principles of healthy eating according to the traditional Chinese and Indian systems, what is the importance of mealing times and daily rhythms, and how different cultures have developed different folk wisdoms for eating for health, longevity and immortality. In the part four, various approaches which are either already in practice or are still in the testing and research phases are discussed and evaluated critically, for example intermittent fasting and calorie restriction, food-based short peptides, senolytics, Ayurvedic compounds, optimal food for old people, and food for the prevention of obesity and other metabolic disorders. The overreaching aim of this book is to inform, inspire and encourage students, researchers, educators and medical health professionals thinking about food and food habits in a holistic context of our habits, cultures and patterns. Food cannot be reduced to a pill of nutritional components. Eating food is a complex human behavior culturally evolved over thousands of years. Perhaps the old adage “we are what we eat” needs to be modified to “we eat what we are”.

In the first section of Volume 2, toxicological factors affecting nutritional status are discussed. Medications and alcohol may affect nutritional status. Section 2 provides a discussion of nutrition-related diseases which occur more frequently among the elderly. Cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease are the leading causes of death in the U.S. The relative importance of cardiovascular diseases, in terms of all deaths for the given age group, rises steadily with age. The death rate from these diseases is 28% for the middle age group (35 to 44) and is 69% for the old age group (age 75 and above. This reflects the continued progression of artherosclerosis with aging. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. The death rate from cancer also rises steadily with age. The death rate from diabetes mellitus increases progressively with age and more rapidly after the age of 45. The incidence of diabetes mellitus is 0.23% under age 25 and 6.2% over 45.

The first section in Volume 1 describes the fundamentals of nutrition and aging which include research strategies for the study of nutrition and aging. The nutritional modulation of the aging process which has provided a major breakthrough in the field of nutrition and longevity is also discussed. These include biomedical influences, and social and psychological aspects. Section 3 includes dietary characteristics of the elderly population and methods for the assessment of nutritional status. The nutritional status of the elderly with respect to individual nutrients as determined by dietary survey and by biochemical methods is described in Section 4. Section 4 also includes discussion on nutrient metabolism, requirements, nutritional imbalances, and deficiencies of nutrients. Energy metabolism and obesity as a factor in pathogenesis of diseases are also discussed.

Does a longer life mean a healthier life? The number of adults over 65 in the United States is growing, but many may not be aware that they are at greater risk from foodborne diseases and their nutritional needs change as they age. The IOM's Food Forum held a workshop October 29-30, 2009, to discuss food safety and nutrition concerns for older adults.