Aging can lead to changes in dynamic biological, physiological, environmental, psychological and behavioral processes that alter over time. While certain of these changes are unavoidable, others can be prevented through living an active and nutritious lifestyle with regular physical activity and proper nutrition.
Studies published by JAMA journals Archives of Internal Medicine and Archives of General Psychiatry revealed in January that people who engage in regular physical exercise tend to have cells with younger biological ages than sedentary counterparts. Researchers analyzed 2,401 pairs of white twins by measuring the length of telomeres–repeated sequences at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with time–in their leukocytes, or white blood cells; shorter telomeres serve as a proxy measure of biological ageing.
Scientists have long acknowledged the links between moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), sufficient restful sleep and diet as pillars of healthy aging, and light intensity physical activity such as LPA. Sedentary behavior and light intensity physical activity could all potentially have positive outcomes on overall well-being as we age.
This study seeks to establish both an independent association between sedentary behavior and healthy aging and its replacement with LPA, MVPA or adequate sleep, as well as estimate any theoretical association. We utilized bibliometric analysis as a way of tracking documents on this subject, which identified five institutions – with Johns Hopkins University being among them – contributing significantly towards the evolution of literature related to it. Additionally, we identified main characteristics associated with such documents that might help assess future trends more accurately.