Soltalk March 2019 | Page 48

Doctor’s notes Dr Rik Heymans is a general practitioner in Nerja and writes on developments in the world of medicine Exercise of limited value, and the duration of efficacy can be short- lived. The effects of RET were comparable to those of AET, with the moderate-sized effect of RET on depressive symptoms consistent with previously reported effects of other types of physical exercise on depressive symptoms and with recently reported associations of RET with anxiety reduction. Exercise interventions, particularly aerobic exercise, are known to be helpful in treating depressive symptoms without the adverse events (AEs) and high costs of antidepressant medications and psychotherapy. In addition, Resistence Exercise Training (RET)- basically “going to the Gym”, with weightlifting and strength enhancing exercises - also have demonstrated benefits for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the leading cause of mortality among persons with major depressive disorder (MDD), a new study has found. Malnutrition in seniors Six percent to 30% of American seniors living in the community are malnourished, and up to half may be at risk, according to West Health, a San Diego-based non-profit organisation that advances research and policy to improve the lives of seniors. Investigators analysed trials that encompassed almost 2000 participants who engaged in RET and found that the intervention was associated with a significant reduction in depressive symptoms, regardless of how long the intervention or sessions lasted, how frequent they were, or how much exercise was prescribed. These benefits were seen in both men and women, were present in participants with physical or mental illnesses, and in participants who did not experience an increase in strength. A 2017 report by Meals on Wheels America found that more than 10 million older Americans (16%) face hunger each year, driven largely by food insecurity—the inability to access enough food for an active, healthy life. At its simplest, malnutrition is defined as "any disorder of nutrition, including overnutrition and undernutrition," according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). Currently, frontline treatments for depression include medication and psychotherapy, but both can be expensive or A 2012 consensus statement from the AND and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition proposed that adults be considered malnourished if they have any two of the following conditions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Inadequate food and nutrient intake; Weight loss; Loss of subcutaneous fat; Muscle loss; Fluid accumulation; and Reduced grip strength. Malnutrition as a diagnosis is complex, and its causes are multiple: financial, social, physical, emotional, and mental. One important reason is the fact that accessing food— especially nutritious food—and enjoying that food is often complicated for older adults who live alone, or just with their spouse in a home. They have to be able to get to the shop, select appropriately healthy foods, get the food back home, and prepare it and store it safely. Social contact is important for the enjoyment of food, as is having all of the senses intact. Another factor is that certain medications - some of them used commonly and on a daily basis, can affect the patients’ sense of taste and smell. Also, smell declines with age, leading to changes in taste. A decline in vision and hearing can also interfere with enjoyment of food. And a person who is hearing-impaired might tend toward isolation because he or she can't follow the conversation at a meal… All these factors can lead, also here in Europe, to malnourished elderly patients, especially if they live on their own. © Dr RIK HEYMANS c/ Angustias 24, Nerja. Tel: 95 252 6775 46