Healthspan, healthy ageing, and chronic disease are pivotal topics in today's health discourse, emphasizing not just the length of life but the quality of those additional years. Focusing on healthspan means striving for a longer period of life free from disease and disability, which is increasingly important as global life expectancies rise. Healthy ageing involves adopting lifestyle habits that promote physical, mental, and social well-being throughout the lifespan, thereby reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Addressing chronic diseases risk requires a proactive approach centered on prevention and early intervention. By prioritizing healthspan and healthy ageing, individuals can significantly decrease the likelihood of developing chronic illnesses, leading to improved quality of life and reduced healthcare costs.

Sigma Nutrition Radio has consistently addressed these critical themes across many episodes. In this episode, we go back over some of the best episodes of 2024 in this area, including discussions on Alzheimer's, cholesterol-lowering medications, impact of exercise, and the debate about red meat.

Timestamps

• (03.12) Alzheimer's: Genetic susceptibility vs. modifiable factors
• (14.59) Heart disease: the "risk factor, disease, event" framework
• (22.10) The strength of evidence we have for the impact of exercise on mortality and longevity
• (28.23) Why high blood pressure is so problematic
• (37.23) Where do we see risk for unprocessed red meat?
• (48.34) The evolution over the years of dietary fat research
• (53.20) Claims about the proposed risks of consuming seed oils
• (56.16) How does fat quality impact heart disease risk?
• (60.35) History of Portfolio Diet research for reducing LDL-C

Episodes referenced:

• 512: Alzheimer's Disease – Drs. Ayesha & Dean Sherzai
• 525: Cholesterol-Lowering Medication – Dr. Paddy Barrett
• 524: Strength & Fitness Levels for Reducing Chronic Disease Risk & Promoting Health Ageing – Jordan Feigenbaum, MD
• 527: How to Prevent & Treat Hypertension – Dr. Mohammed Alo, DO
• 528: Is Unprocessed Red Meat Problematic for Our Health?
• 532: Dietary Fat: Evidence vs. Misinformation – Alice Lichtenstein, DSc
• 515: Does Dietary Fat Quality Causally Affect Atherosclerosis Risk? – Jacob Christensen, PhD
• 507: Does a Higher Portfolio Diet Score Reduce Heart Disease? – Andrea Glenn, PhD

Links:

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• Enroll in the next cohort of our Applied Nutrition Literacy course
• Go to episode page