NIgerian FG Dismisses Prof Maduike's Claims Of HIV Cure

The Federal Government through the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has dismissed the claims by a Professor of Veterinary Medicine and Clinical Virology at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State, Maduike Ezeibe, to have discovered a new drug for the cure of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

An editorial in a Nigerian newspaper quoted the professor as saying that the drug, produced with “Aluminum Magnesium Silicate” was tested on ten persons living with HIV. The newspaper reported a clinical outcome of an ability to “reach all cells” and making HIV “a conquered organism.”

Director-General, NACA, Dr. Sani Aliyu, and Chief Executive Officer NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, in a joint statement yesterday said there was no evidence from the publication that the authors obtained ethical clearance from an appropriate body in Nigeria to conduct this study, and only ambiguous evidence that informed consent was sought from the evidently vulnerable patients.

They said there is really no basis for a claim to cure of AIDS in this study and are concerned that the publicity given to this claims will stop patients with HIV from taking life-saving anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) and give them false hope of a cure.

The statement noted: “It will be a great disservice to this vulnerable group of patients for the media to disseminate this claims in the absence of sound scientific evidence. There are long established, tried and tested routes for the discovery, development and validation of modern medicines before they can be registered and used for treatment in humans and animals.”

NACA and NCDC called on all academics to follow legal and scientifically acceptable methods in conducting their research and to avoid making premature claims capable of derailing the huge progress made in the last two decades on the war against HIV/AIDS.

The government agencies said millions of lives have been saved as a result of modern antiretroviral treatment and people living with HIV can now look forward to a normal healthy future. They, however, said they will continue to support the hard and diligent work being done by scientists in Nigerian universities and research institutions around the country. “We are always ready to partner with our scientists on all aspects of HIV research provided this is in line with international best practice,” they noted.

NACA and NCDC called on editors of media houses in Nigeria to seek comments from the leadership of relevant government parastatals and professional bodies when it receives new research findings related to their areas of responsibility. “We assure you that we will respond rapidly and constructively to any queries. We also urge the editors of media houses in Nigeria to support their reporters to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in the clinical trial process. In the run up to the next deadline, it is easy to fall into the trap of doing more harm than good, and the consequences of this can be deadly in the health sector. We will support the evolution of robust science journalism in Nigeria,” they noted.

They called on all patients living with HIV that are currently taking their medications to continue to do so and to see their doctors if they have any concern.

According to the statement, the NACA helpline (6222) is available on working days from 8am-8pm for the public seeking more information on HIV disease.

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Shark Inspired Drug Raises Hope For Patients With Lung Infections

Australian scientists have renewed hope that a new drug for the treatment of an incurable lung disease is underway. According to the researchers, the drug that mimics part of a Shark’s immune system may help treat the lung disease.
The drug, AD-114, was developed by researchers at Melbourne’s La Trobe University and biotechnology company AdAlta in Australia. Initial testing successfully targeted fibrosiscausing cells by creating a human protein that imitated the shark’s antibody, according to Dr. Mick Foley, from the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science in Melbourne, Australia. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) scars lung tissue, causing breathing to become progressively harder.
IPF is a chronic and ultimately fatal disease characterised by a progressive decline in lung function. The term pulmonary fibrosis means scarring of lung tissue and is the cause of worsening dyspnea (shortness of breath).
Although, there is no data to estimate its burden in Nigeria, IPF kills more than 5,000 people each year in the United Kingdom, UK alone, according to the British Lung Foundation.
The researchers hope the new drug, inspired by an antibody in the blood of Sharks, can begin human trials next year. Foley said, “Fibrosis is the end result of a lot of different insults and injuries.
This molecule can kill the cells that cause fibrosis.” IPF symptoms include shortness of breath, especially during exercise, which gradually gets worse, and a persistent dry cough.
There is currently no cure; so, treatment focuses on trying to relieve symptoms and slow its progression. The United States, U.S. Food and Drug Administration this month designated AD-114 an “orphan drug” – a move which gives tax breaks to companies attempting to find treatments for diseases.
Respiratory diseases are among the leading causes of death worldwide. Lung infections (mostly pneumonia and tuberculosis), lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) together accounted for 9.5 million deaths worldwide, one-sixth of the global total. The World Health Organization estimates that the same four diseases accounted for one-tenth of the disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost worldwide in 200.
The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study recently compared the contribution of major diseases to deaths and disability worldwide for 1990 and 2010. Among the leading causes of death, lower respiratory infections were ranked 3rd in 1990 and 4th in 2010, whereas COPD was ranked 4th in 1990 and 3rd in 2010. Lung cancer rose from 8th- to 5th- commonest cause of death, while tuberculosis fell from 6th to 10th position in the ranking.
The GBD Study also presented rankings for years lived with disability, among which asthma ranked 13th worldwide in 1990 and 14th in 2010, while COPD ranked 6th in 1990 and 5th in 2010. When premature deaths and disability were combined as DALYs  lost, lower respiratory infections were ranked the leading cause worldwide in 1990, and the 2nd most important cause of DALYs lost in 2010. Also among the 25 most important causes were COPD (ranked 6th in 1990 and 9th in 2010), tuberculosis (ranked 8th in 1990 and 13th in 2010) and lung cancer (ranked 24th in 1990 and 22nd in 2010).
Between 2010 and 2016, it is believed that fatality in lung diseases has risen very high and is now topping the list of major causes of death in recent time. With the recent discovery of the Shark inspired drug, There is hope that the trend may be reversed in the near future.

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Paracetamol May Cause Liver Disease - New Findings

Scientists have alerted that taking too much paracetamol is dangerous to health, especially to the liver.
This is contained in a study published in ‘Scientific Reports’. According to the researchers, paracetamol overdose is the most common cause of liver failure in the United Kingdom, UK.
The researchers have therefore advised people who have taken more than the recommended maximum dose to go to their nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department as soon as possible.
Paracetamol is used to treat pain and fever. It is typically used for mild to moderate pain. Paracetamol is used to treat many conditions such as headache, muscle aches, arthritis, backache, toothaches, colds, and fevers. It relieves pain in mild arthritis but has no effect on the underlying inflammation and swelling of the joint.
Although, it is generally safe at recommended doses, but too high a dose could result in liver failure, the study showed. Reacting to the development, Professor Nelson of Edinburgh University in the UK, said that although considered safe at therapeutic doses, it is quite easy to take too much paracetamol- so users should monitor their intake very carefully.
He said the drug can damage the liver by harming vital structural connections between adjacent cells in the organ. Professor Nelson of Edinburgh University, said: “Paracetamol is the most widely used over-the-counter and prescription analgesic worldwide.”
Around 200m packets are sold annually, accounting for two-thirds of the UK market for over-the-counter painkillers. He said: “When recommended doses of paracetamol are exceeded, acute liver failure can occur – and is the most common cause of ALF in the UK, United States, U.S, Europe and Australia.
“With a narrow therapeutic index, the common dose of paracetamol is close to the overdose, and given that it is found in many prescription and over-thecounter preparations, users need to monitor their intake closely.” He said that the underlying mechanisms of liver injury from paracetamol remain largely unclear.
Professor Nelson explained: “We describe a previously unknown effect of paracetamol on certain structural components liver tissue called tight junctions – or cell adhesions.
In Africa, particular Nigeria, paracetamol is massively used as analgesic pain killer. While reacting to this development, a Lagos based health practitioner, Dr. Afolabi Muyiwa, said it will be better to avoid the medication altogether in other to avoid the liver disease risk. He opined that acupuncture and other alternative means should be employed to take care of pain instead of paracetamol.

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Don't Eat Suya Without Vegetables - Nutritionist

Consumers of barbecued beef popularly called “Suya” have been advised to always ensure that generous portions of onions, cabbage, tomatoes and other vegetables are eaten along with it.
Suya is generally made with skewered beef, ram, or chicken. Innards such as kidney, liver and tripe are also used.
The thinly sliced meat is marinated in various spices which include peanut cake, salt, vegetable oil and other flavorings, and then barbecued.
A Professor of Community and Public Health Nutrition at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ngozi Nnam, who gave the advice yesterday in Abuja said that there was a link between its consumption and increased risk of cancer, noting that consumption of suya garnished with onions and other vegetables has a strong cancer-lowering effect.
She said, “Eating Suya can actually cause cancer. This comes from the reaction of meat and the smoke during Suya preparation which results in a toxic compound that can cause cancer.
“Smoking of the meat is what causes cancer. Some metabolites from food can cause cancer.
“What is important is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables to increase antioxidants in the body.
“The antioxidants can neutralise or react with the toxic metabolite from food to prevent cancer.”
According to her, Suya is good to eat with onions and cabbage because they react with the toxic substance produced by smoke to prevent cancer.
She said, “It is good to eat Suya with onions and other fruits and vegetables.’’
The nutritionist, however, urged Nigerians to consume more of fish than beef.
She said that the major benefit of eating beef was that it provided needed protein for the individual.
She said, “It is however healthier to eat fish than meat because some fish e.g srumbia fish contain omega 6 fatty acid which is good for the body.
“Omega 6 fatty acid is also very good for infants because it is required for proper brain development.’’
In addition, she warned against the consumption of smoked fish, saying “again the problem with smoked fish is the toxic substance produced by the smoke.
“ If we can grill it, it will be better than smoking it,’’ she advised.
Nnam, also the President of Nutrition Society of Nigeria, said that the National Policy on Food and Nutrition has been implemented across the country.
“ The National Policy on Food and Nutrition was launched during the Nutrition Week in September 2016 by the Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari.
“After the launch, the policy has been domesticated and being implemented in different states of the Federation.
“The Ministry of Budget and National Planning is overseeing this activity with state nutrition officers,’’ she said.
The policy seeks to improve the nutritional status of all Nigerians, with particular emphasis on the most vulnerable groups including children, women, and the elderly.

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The Amazing Health Benefits Of Cucumber

Cucumbers belong to the same plant family as squash, pumpkin, and watermelon (the Cucurbitaceae family). Like watermelon, cucumbers are made up of mostly (95 percent) water, which means eating them on a hot day can help you stay hydrated. However, there's reason to eat cucumbers all year long. With vitamin K, B vitamins, copper, potassium, vitamin C, and manganese, cucumbers can help you to avoid nutrient deficiencies that are widespread among those eating typical diet.
Cucumbers contain an anti-inflammatory flavonol called fisetin that appears to play an important role in brain health. In addition to improving your memory and protecting your nerve cells from age-related decline, fisetin has been found to prevent progressive memory and learning impairments in mice with Alzheimer's disease. Cucumbers contain polyphenols called lignans (pinoresinol, lariciresinol, and secoisolariciresinol), which may help to lower your risk of breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancers.
Cucumbers may help to "cool" the inflammatory response in your body. And animal studies suggest that cucumber extract helps reduce unwanted inflammation, in part by inhibiting the activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes (including cyclo-oxygenase 2, or COX-2). Cucumbers contain numerous antioxidants, including the well-known vitamin C and beta-carotene. They also contain antioxidant flavonoids, such as quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol, which provide additional benefits. 
Placing a cucumber slice on the roof of your mouth may help to rid your mouth of odor-causing bacteria. According to the principles of Ayurveda, eating cucumbers may also help to release excess heat in your stomach, which is said to be a primary cause of bad breath. Cucumbers contain multiple B vitamins, including vitamin B1, vitamin B5, and vitamin B7 (biotin). B vitamins are known to help ease feelings of anxiety and buffer some of the damaging effects of stress.

Cucumbers are rich in two of the most basic elements needed for healthy digestion: water and fiber. If you struggle with acid reflux, you should know that drinking water can help suppress acute symptoms of acid reflux by temporarily raising stomach pH; it's possible that water-rich cucumbers may have a similar effect. Cucumber skins contain insoluble fiber, which helps add bulk to your stool. This helps food to move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination.
 Cucumbers are very low in calories, yet they make a filling snack (one cup of sliced cucumber contains just 16 calories). The soluble fiber in cucumbers dissolves into a gel-like texture in your gut, helping to slow down your digestion. This helps you to feel full longer and is one reason why fiber-rich foods may help with weight control.
Cucumbers contain potassium, which is associated with lower blood pressure levels. A proper balance of potassium both inside and outside your cells is crucial for your body to function properly. As an electrolyte, potassium is a positive charged ion that must maintain a certain concentration (about 30 times higher inside than outside your cells) in order to carry out its functions, which includes interacting with sodium to help control nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and heart function. 
There are many ways to enjoy cucumbers, such as fermented or raw in vinegar-based salads. If you're looking for something different, cucumbers make an ideal base for your vegetable juice due to their mild flavor and high water content. In fact, a simple juice of cucumber and celery is ideal for those new to juicing. From there you can work your way up to red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, and escarole, along with parsley and cilantro. Juicing is actually an ideal way to consume cucumbers.

 When you drink fresh-made green juice, it is almost like receiving an intravenous infusion of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes because they go straight into your system without having to be broken down. When your body has an abundance of the nutrients it needs, and your pH is optimally balanced, you will feel energized and your immune system will get a boost. 

 If you're wondering whether you should choose organic cucumbers over conventionally grown varieties, It is suggested that you choose organic. Cucumbers were ranked the 12th most contaminated food and the second in cancer risk due to their pesticide content, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Further, cucumbers are often waxed after harvest to withstand the long journey to market unscarred and to protect against the many hands that touch them. Therefore, it is better to chose organic Cucumbers than these other varieties.

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Over-Cooked Potato, Bread Can Cause Cancer - UK Scientists

Potatoes and bread, cooked at high temperatures for a long time could increase the risk of cancer in people who eat them regularly. According to British scientists, who disclosed this, a substance known as acrylamide, produced when starchy foods are roasted, fried or grilled for too long at high temperatures, has been found in animal studies to increase the risk of cancer.
High levels of acrylamide have been found to cause cancer in animals, and on that basis, scientists believe it is likely to cause cancer in humans as well.
To reduce the danger therefore, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the United Kingdom, UK, advised consumers to cook these foods at lower temperatures and eat them when they are cooked to a golden colour rather than browned.
Acrylamide (or acrylic amide) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula C3H5NO. The discovery of acrylamide in some cooked starchy foods in 2002 prompted concerns about the carcinogenicity of those foods. Since then, the United States, U.S Food and Drug Administration, FDA has been actively investigating the effects of acrylamide as well as potential measures to reduce it.
On March 1, 2016, the FDA posted a final document with practical strategies to help growers, manufacturers and food service operators lower the amount of acrylamide in foods associated with higher levels of the chemical.
“The scientific consensus is that acrylamide has the potential to cause cancer in humans,” said the FSA, adding, “As a general rule of thumb, aim for a golden yellow colour or lighter when frying, baking, toasting or roasting starchy foods like potatoes, root vegetables and bread.” But some experts differ, saying there were far more well-established and significant foods and habits linked to cancer risk – such as smoking, drinking and being overweight – and consumers should focus on changing those above all else.
Similarly reacting to the development, the Cancer Research UK said, “Evidence from animal studies shows that acrylamide has the potential to interact with the DNA in our cells, so could be linked to cancer.”

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Sea Foods Consumption May Pose Health Risk - New Research

Scientists have warned the global community about the dangers of ocean plastics contamination. They said that people who eat seafood, ingest up to 11,000 tiny pieces of plastic every year with dozens of particles becoming embedded in tissues.
According to scientists from the University of Ghent in Belgium, microplastics accumulate in the body over time and could pose a long-term health risk. Microplastics are small plastic particles in the environment that are generally smaller than 1 mm (0.039 in) down to the micrometre range.
Coming from a variety of sources, including cosmetics, clothing, and industrial processes, two classifications of microplastics that currently exist are primary microplastics which are manufactured and are a direct result of human material and product use; and secondary microplastics, which are microscopic plastic fragments derived from the breakdown of larger plastic debris like the macroscopic parts that make up the bulk of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
However, both types persist in the environment at high levels, particularly in aquatic and marine ecosystems. Because plastics do not break down for many years, they can be ingested and incorporated into and accumulated in the bodies and tissues of many organisms.
The researchers noted that the amount of plastic absorbed will only get worse as pollution in the oceans increases, the ‘newsmaxHealth’ reported. Reacting to the development, Lead researcher, Dr. Colin Janssen, said, “Now we’ve established that they do enter our body and can stay there for quite a while; we do need to know the fate of the plastics.” “Where do they go? Are they encapsulated by tissue and forgotten about by the body, or are they causing inflammation or doing other things?
“Are chemicals leaching out of these plastics and then causing toxicity? We don’t know and actually we do need to know.”
We've long known that the fish we eat are exposed to toxic chemicals in the rivers, bays and oceans they inhabit. The substance that's gotten the most attention — because it has shown up at disturbingly high levels in some fish — is mercury.
But mercury is just one of a slew of synthetic and organic pollutants that fish can ingest and absorb into their tissue. Sometimes it's because we're dumping chemicals right into the ocean. But as a study published recently in Nature, Scientific Reports helps illuminate, sometimes fish get chemicals from the plastic debris they ingest.
"The ocean is basically a toilet bowl for all of our chemical pollutants and waste in general," says Chelsea Rochman, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Davis, who authored the study. "Eventually, we start to see those contaminants high up in the food chain, in seafood and wildlife."
For many years, scientists have known that chemicals will move up the food chain as predators absorb the chemicals consumed by their prey. That's why the biggest, fattiest fish, like tuna and swordfish, tend to have the highest levels of mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other dioxins. (And that's concerning, given that canned tuna was the second most popular fish consumed in the U.S. in 2012, according to the National Fisheries Institute.)
Most of this sea foods are imported into West African Countries including Nigeria, where they are used as staple foods in most homes. With the recent research findings, analysts say a thorough awareness campaign has to be carried out to sensitize the general public on the dangers posed by this sea foods. WHO, people feel, should also step up its campaign against marine pollution in other to save humanity from a collapse of the marine food chain.

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Prevent Heart Disease, Diabetes And Cancer With Tomatoes

Whether you refer to tomato as a fruit or a vegetable, there is no doubt that a tomato is a nutrient-dense, super-food that most people should be eating more of. The tomato has been referred to as a "functional food," a food that goes beyond providing just basic nutrition, additionally preventing chronic diseases and delivering other health benefits, due to beneficial phytochemicals such as lycopene. Despite the popularity of the tomato, only 200 years ago it was thought to be poisonous in the U.S., likely because the plant belongs to the nightshade family, of which some species are truly poisonous.
The benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables of all kinds, including tomatoes, are infinite. As plant food consumption goes up, the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer goes down. High fruit and vegetable intake is also associated with healthy skin and hair, increased energy and lower weight. Increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables significantly decreases the risk of obesity and overall mortality.
As an excellent source of the strong antioxidant vitamin C and other antioxidants, tomatoes can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. Lycopene has been linked with prostate cancer prevention in several studies. According to John Erdman, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of the department of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois, "There's very good, strong, epidemiological support for increased consumption of tomato products and lower incidence of prostate cancer.
Among younger men, diets rich in beta-carotene may play a protective role against prostate cancer, according to a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health's Department of Nutrition. Beta-carotene consumption has been shown to have an inverse association with the development of colon cancer in the Japanese population. High fiber intakes from tomatoes  are associated with a lowered risk of colorectal cancer.
The fiber, potassium, vitamin C and chlorine content in tomatoes all support heart health. An increase in potassium intake along with a decrease in sodium intake is the most important dietary change that a person can make to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, according to Mark Houston, M.D., M.S., an associate clinical professor of medicine at Vanderbilt Medical School and director of the Hypertension Institute at St. Thomas Hospital in Tennessee. In one study, those who consumed 4069 mg of potassium per day had a 49 percent lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed less potassium (about 1000 mg per day). High potassium intakes are also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density and reduction in the formation of kidney stones. Studies have shown that type 1 diabetics who consume high-fiber diets have lower blood glucose levels and type 2 diabetics may have improved blood sugar, lipids and insulin levels. One cup of cherry tomatoes provides about 2 grams of fiber and potassium.
Collagen, the skins support system, is reliant on vitamin C as an essential nutrient that works in our body as an antioxidant to help prevent damage caused by the sun, pollution and smoke, smooth wrinkles and improve overall skin texture. Eating foods that are high in water content and fiber like tomatoes can help to keep you hydrated and your bowel movements regular. Fiber is essential for minimizing constipation and adding bulk to the stool.
 Adequate folic acid intake is essential for pregnant women to protect against neural tube defects in infants. The folic acid in tomatoes may also help with depression by preventing an excess of homocysteine from forming in the body, which can prevent blood and other nutrients from reaching the brain. Excess homocysteine interferes with the production of the feel-good hormones serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which regulate not only mood, but sleep and appetite as well. One medium tomato (approximately 123 grams) provides 22 calories, 0 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbohydrate (including 1 gram of fiber and 3 grams of sugar) and 1 gram of protein. Alpha-lipoic acid helps the body to convert glucose into energy. Some evidence suggests that alpha-lipoic acid can aid in blood glucose control, improve vasodilation and protect against retinopathy in diabetic patients and may even help preserve brain and nerve tissue.
Lycopene is the antioxidant that gives tomatoes their rich red color. Tomatoes account for 80 percent of lycopene consumption. Choline is an important nutrient found in tomatoes that helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory. Choline also helps to maintain the structure of cellular membranes, aids in the transmission of nerve impulses, assists in the absorption of fat and reduces chronic inflammation.

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How Weekend Exercise Reduces Risk Of Early Death - Experts

In an effort to make more people improve their health, scientists have revealed that cramming all recommended weekly exercise into one or two weekend sessions is enough to produce important health benefits.
These are contained in a report published in ‘JAMA Internal Medicine’. According to the report, being active without managing 150 minutes of moderate activity a week was still enough to reduce the risk of an early death by a third.
Health experts said purposeful exercise was key to better health. The researchers said this was good news for people with a busy lifestyle who turned into “weekend warriors” in order to fit in all their recommended physical activity.
The findings are based on a survey of about 64,000 adults aged over 40 in England and Scotland. Researchers from Loughborough University and the University of Sydney analysed data on the time people spent doing exercise and their health over 18 years.
They found that no matter how often people exercised in a week or for how long, the health benefits were similar as long as they met the activity guidelines.
Exercise is the physical exertion of the body – making the body do a physical activity which results in a healthy or healthier level of physical fitness and both physical and mental health.
The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. Everyone benefits from exercise, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. Compared with those who didn’t exercise at all, people who did some kind of physical activity – whether regularly or irregularly – showed a lower risk of dying from cancer and from cardiovascular disease (CVD), which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
“Weekend warriors”, who did all their exercise on one or two days of the week, were found to lower their risk of dying from CVD by 41 per cent and cancer by 18 per cent, compared with the inactive.
Those who exercised regularly on three or more days per week reduced their risks by 41 per cent and 21 per cent.
Even the “insufficiently active” lowered their risk by a significant amount – 37 per cent and 14 per cent, the researchers said.
Reacting to the development, Study author and expert in physical activity and health, Dr. Gary O’Donovan, who is from Loughborough University, said the key was doing exercise that was “purposeful, and done with the intention of improving health.”

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Sedentary Lifestyles Make Women Age Faster - Experts

Women who lead a sedentary lifestyle have faster ageing cells than those who exercise every day. These are the findings of a study published in the ‘American Journal of Epidemiology’. According to the study, as people age, their cells age, causing DNA protectors to shorten and fray.
The researchers from California noted that health and lifestyle factors may speed up the process. A sedentary lifestyle is a type of lifestyle with no or irregular physical activity.
A person who lives a sedentary lifestyle may colloquially be known as a couch potato or in the Nigerian parlance 'ajebo'. It is commonly found in both the developed and developing world. Sedentary activities include sitting, reading, socialising, watching television, playing video games, mobile phone and computer use for much of the day with little or no vigorous physical exercise.
A sedentary lifestyle can contribute to many preventable causes of death. The ‘BBC’ reported that the research on 1,500 women aged 64 to 95 found those who spent many hours sitting and exercised for less than 40 minutes a day had cells that were biologically eight years older.
The researchers similarly suggested that even in old age, it was important to keep active and avoid sitting for more than 10 hours a day. “During ageing, tiny caps on the ends of DNA strands known as telomeres naturally shorten.
“These telomeres – which have been likened to the plastic tips of shoelaces – are there to prevent chromosomes from deteriorating.
Telomere length is one indicator of biological age, which does not always match chronological age. Shortened telomeres have been linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and major cancers. How much regular exercise people do now also appears to be a factor in their length.
To track the women’s movements in the study, they wore an accelerometer on their right hip for seven days in a row, during the day and night.
They were also asked to complete questionnaires on their activity. Reacting to the development, lead study author, Dr. Aladdin Shadyab from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, said: “We found that women who sat for longer did not have shorter telomere length if they exercised for at least 30 minutes a day.
“Discussions about the benefits of exercise should start when we are young, and physical activity should continue to be part of our daily lives as we get older, even at 80 years old.” Medical experts advised older adults to break up long periods of sitting with light activity because “sedentary behaviour is now considered an independent risk factor for ill health.”
The study urged adults aged 65 or older who are generally fit and mobile should try to do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, such as cycling or walking, every week and strength exercises on two or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms).
Similarly, it said older adults at risk of falls, or with poor balance, should also do exercises to improve balance and co-ordination at least twice a week.

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