THE ROLE OF FOOD AND EXERCISE IN REDUCING FRAILTY
FEATUREFOCUS
CAN FRAILTY BE DELAYED OR AVOIDED?
“ The same lifestyle behaviors that support healthy aging in the general population are also likely to help reduce frailty risk in MS,” said Dr. Zanotto.“ These include staying physically active, participating in structured exercise( for maintaining muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness), eating a nutritious diet, prioritizing sleep and mental health, remaining socially engaged, and addressing cognitive health proactively.”
In many cases, he added, frailty can be reversed. Said Dr. Rockwood,“ Within MS, the evidence is still emerging but highly encouraging. In one study, six weeks of treadmill training, with or without virtual reality augmentation, significantly reduced frailty levels. 6 Approximately half of participants experienced meaningful improvements and about one in five improved their frailty category. More recently, a pilot trial specifically designed to target frailty combined virtual reality treadmill training with progressive resistance training. 1 The program demonstrated excellent feasibility, high adherence, and promising improvements in frailty, fatigue, and quality of life. These findings suggest that frailty is not simply something that happens to people with MS. It is potentially modifiable, and in some cases partially reversible, particularly when identified and addressed early.”
Like everyone else, people with MS can choose healthier or less healthy ways to live their lives, said Dr. Rockwood. He urges aiming for as healthy a lifestyle as possible, using the strategy spelled out in the Canadian Frailty Network’ s Avoid Frailty Campaign. 7
• A = Activity( appropriate exercise and sleep)
• V = Vaccinate( to resist infectious disease and avoid illness)
• O = Optimize medications( periodically review with your doctor)
• I = Interact socially
• D = Diet and nutrition
“[ Frailty ] is more amenable to mitigation than most people think,” Dr. Rockwood said.“ Sometimes it can be hard to eat well, or challenging due to problems with access to food or money, and it takes a certain discipline as well. Be realistic about it— it’ s what happens across your life course.”
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THE ROLE OF FOOD AND EXERCISE IN REDUCING FRAILTY
There’ s a link between frailty and heart health. Research shows that blueberries, protein, and exercise programs each help lower risk of frailty and heart disease. An ongoing study is the first to test whether having regular blueberries, protein, and workouts together for a year can reduce frailty and the risk of heart disease compared to the usual diet and exercise plans people may follow.
THE STRONG STUDY 10 STudy on bluebeRries, prOteiN, and exercise for improvinG frailty and cardiovascular disease, led by Dr. Leah Cahill, a registered dietitian and researcher and Associate Professor of Medicine at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia.
The STRONG study is a randomized controlled trial that will last one year, with a oneyear follow up. Participants are either from Halifax, Nova Scotia, or agree to travel to Halifax. Half the participants will eat a prescribed amount of blueberries and protein powder every day and will be asked to follow three personalized workout sessions per week. The other half will follow their usual diet and exercise routines. The researchers aim to gather insights into the combined effects of blueberries, protein, and exercise on cardiovascular health and frailty in an effort to offer evidence-based lifestyle treatment recommendations for older adults.
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