Physical Activity and Resilience in Ageing

Project summary

We explore the mechanisms of one of the 21th century's largest challenges: The burden of un-health in the older population. We do so by investigating structural, economical, personal and biological factors using both observational and experimental approaches.  Advances in molecular biology in recent years have given new insights into age-related decline in health and physical functioning, and in this project we explore these mechanisms further, and place the findings in a societal and public health context.

The aim of this project is to promote good health and resilience during ageing. Health is complex, and here we are developing and analysing public programs for physical activity amongst older adults based on new population data, breakthroughs in biomedical research and societal and structural factors. The objectives of the project are to understand how physical activity and retirement correlates with biological factors, and how public actions can be designed and implemented to improve health in the older population. 

Physical activity is one key behaviour leading to good health and the research evidence for the benefits of physical activity and exercise with regards to fitness, physical and mental health, and for longevity is well established, yet the uptake of this evidence in the public is low. More knowledge about factors that are important for uptake of physical activity in the older population is therefore needed. Likewise, knowledge on the dose-response relationship between physical activity and biological responses is warranted to understand how physical activity affects the older population, specifically. During aging, the immune system changes, resulting in an increased risk of getting serious infections, but there are large variabilities within the population. It is therefore expedient to refer to the concept of immunological age, which refers to functions of the immune system. Similarly, biological age refers to physiological functions (such as walking speed, muscle strength, pulse). Physical activity has a clear effect on biological age, and on the immune system. Hence, knowledge is needed on how public actions for increased physical activity can be designed to obtain positive effects on both biological age and immune age. In this, an understanding of how structures in the society can promote better health is central. 

 

Method

I del 1 av prosjektet vil vi bruke kvalitative intervju, samt ulike effektmålingar. Vi ynskjer også å analysere HUNT-data. 

I del 2 av prosjektet vil vi bruke immunologiske målingar, samt ulike analyseverktøy for å studere fysisk og mental helse.