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Despite
risks, Americans are not taking action to
protect themselves against Muscle Loss as
they age
Survey finds that while 70 percent of
Americans are concerned about muscle loss,
the majority are not taking action to
maintain muscle health
COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ —
Nearly nine in 10
people think feeling weaker is one of the
worst parts about aging, according to a
recent survey commissioned by
Abbott and developed in
conjunction with the
AGS Foundation for Health in Aging,
a nonprofit dedicated to the health and
well-being of older adults, which provided
expert, independent review.
But while 70 percent of Americans say they
are concerned about muscle loss, close to 90
percent of Americans over the age of 45 are
not taking critical steps, like making both
daily exercise and proper nutrition part of
their daily routines, to protect their
muscles as they get older.
″Muscle loss is a serious issue that can
lead to severe health and lifestyle
consequences, yet building and maintaining
muscle isn’t top of mind for most adults,”
said Evelyn Granieri, M.D., M.P.H., MSEd
from Columbia University College of
Physicians and Surgeons in New York who
provided expert input into the survey before
it was fielded.
“Especially with an aging baby boomer
population, it’s important that people take
charge of their health and take action now
so that they can continue doing the things
they enjoy in the future.″
Facts on Muscle Loss and Aging
Clinical research shows that starting at age
40, the body can lose eight percent of
muscle per decade, which can lead to loss of
strength, mobility and the freedom to enjoy
daily life.
In fact, one in three Americans surveyed
over age 45 point directly to their loss of
strength or mobility as the reason for
giving up activities they once enjoyed.
Yet, despite the risks associated with
muscle loss, of those surveyed, only a
quarter make both a balanced diet and
resistance training part of their everyday
routine and 80 percent of Americans over age
45 have never discussed the issue with their
physician.
Facts on Muscle Health for People in
Recovery
For people suffering from illness, injury or
recovering from surgery, the impact of
muscle loss is even more severe.
The same study found that nearly 70 percent
of patients who suffered a serious medical
setback did not expect muscle loss to be a
problem during their recovery.
Nevertheless, approximately 60 percent of
recently hospitalized survey respondents did
report a noticeable loss in muscle mass.
After discharge, less than a third changed
their diet to help combat this muscle loss.
″With a rapidly growing aging population in
the U.S., muscle health is an important
issue that everyone over the age of 40
should seriously consider,″ said Dr.
Granieri. "Talking to your doctor or
dietitian is a great way to establish small
steps to take to protect your muscle health
today so you can have a much more active and
productive life as you age.″
About the Survey
The survey was conducted on behalf of Abbott
among 1,000 nationally representative
Americans ages 18 and older, with an
oversample of 200 interviews among American
adults who have suffered from a serious,
temporary illness or injury in the past
year. The interviews were conducted online
by Wakefield Research between February 10
and February 16, 2010. The AGS Foundation
for Health in Aging provided expert,
independent review on the survey in advance
of its release. Quotas were set to ensure
reliable and accurate representation of the
total U.S. population ages 18 and older. The
margin of sampling error is +/- 3.1
percentage points for the national component
of the study and +/- 6.9 percentage points
for the recent patient oversample.
Related Resources and Links
AGS Foundation for Health in Aging:
http://www.healthinaging.org/about/mission.php
Media Assets:
http://www.e-mediaroom.com/MuscleHealthSurvey
Abbott Nutrition:
http://www.abbottnutrition.com
Abbott:
http://www.abbott.com
About Abbott
Abbott is a global, broad-based health care
company devoted to the discovery,
development, manufacture and marketing of
pharmaceuticals and medical products,
including nutritionals, devices and
diagnostics. The company employs
approximately 83,000 people and markets its
products in more than 130 countries.
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