Nutritional status and life span of humans

Abstract

Social factors such as bad living conditions, harmful labor conditions, low quality of medicine, loss of social contacts, etc., and lifestyle factors such as mal- and over-nutrition, hypodynamia, bad habits, etc. are the main issues of premature ageing. In this article, the alimentary factor such as the risk of premature ageing has been considered from the point of view of over- and malnutrition (protein-e nergy undernutrition) and its influence on the rate of ageing. The effect of overnutrition has been examined in the literature review of Russian and foreign investigators. Scientific publications show that one alimentary factor can be used to produce a significant influence on life span and frequency of some degenerative diseases. The relationship between malnutrition in the older population and biological age has been evaluated. 408 those surveyed from the city of Voronezh aged 55 to 70 were included into the study. The examination was nonrecurrent. The biological age of those surveyed was determined using the method by V. P. Voitenko. Malnutrition was assessed with the MNA (Mini Nutritional Assessment) tool. Malnutrition is observed among 2.2% of elderly patients, 58.8% of those surveyed are at risk for malnutrition, whereas 39% of them have a normal alimentary status. It is established that the biological age is correlated with the alimentary status. Statistically significant differences are found in the mean group values of the biological age in the subgroup of people with a normal alimentary status in relation to the subgroup of people with a risk for malnutrition (p<0.05): the values were 56±1.7 and 64±1.4, respectively. The publication shows a direct and indirect influence of the alimentary status (both overnutrition, and malnutrition) on the rate of senescence.