PhD defence Alejandra Monsegue

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. L.J.C. van Loon

Co-supervisor: Dr. L.B. Verdijk

Keywords: Ageing, Exercise, Nutrition, Musculoskeletal health

 

"Lifestyle Interventions to Prolong Healthspan in an Ageing Society"

 

In our ageing population, people are living longer than ever before. However, the final years of life are often affected by health problems. This not only reduces our quality of life but also places substantial pressure on healthcare systems. This thesis investigated whether lifestyle interventions focused on exercise and nutrition can help counteract age-related health decline in older adults. The studies showed that exercise and nutritional interventions can greatly increase muscle mass, muscle strength, physical functioning, and improve metabolic health in various groups of older adults. This was shown not only in  compromised older adults with impaired metabolic health, those with poor mobility who struggled with walking, and those recovering from knee replacement surgery, but  even in older adults who had no obvious health impairments. Overall, this thesis shows that exercise and nutrition are powerful tools to promote healthy ageing across the older population.

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