GPS WARN MIDDLE-AGE IS NOT A TIME TO ‘REST’

The middle-aged are to be warned by GPs not to share a bottle of wine a night because they think they have ‘earned a rest’.
Guidelines from the health watchdog NICE tells doctors to urge patients in their 50s and 60s to take more exercise, lose weight and cut back on alcohol to prevent dementia and other illnesses.

Importantly, GPs will be told to inform patients that even sticking within the government’s safe alcohol guidelines of two units a day for women and three for men raises the risk of future illness. A typical bottle of wine contains 10 units of alcohol. The guidelines also state there is ‘no
safe level of alcohol consumption’.

There is growing evidence that many illnesses such as dementia, heart disease, certain cancers and diabetes are strongly linked to lifestyles.
Only yesterday research published by Cambridge University found that a third of all Alzheimer’s cases could be linked to behaviours such as lack of exercise, obesity and smoking.

NICE warns middle-aged adults have far worse lifestyles than older or younger generations and tend to drink heavily, be overweight and have raised cholesterol and blood pressure.
In guidelines issued yesterday, it tells GPs to urge patients to change their behaviours during routine appointments or the three-yearly NHS health check-ups, offered to all those aged 40 to 74.

Encouraged

Specifically, patients will be encouraged to cut back on alcohol as much as possible over concerns that it is the ‘norm’ in middle age to drink daily at home.
 They will also be urged to ask patients about their sleeping patterns over concerns not getting enough increases the risk of dementia, heart disease and diabetes.

Patients will also be told to take up gardening, walking, cycling or even a new sport particularly if retirement means they have more time on their hands. But the guidelines add that patients should not assume middle-age is a time for ‘slowing down’ and assuming they have ‘earned a rest’.
Sharing a bottle of wine after work simply because you felt like it has been earned could put you at risk of disease later in life
Professor Mike Kelly, director of NICE’s Centre of Public Health, said: ‘The good news is we are living longer, but these extra years are not always spent in good health. Ill health and dependency are not inevitable consequences of old age.

‘The risk of developing dementia, disability and frailty can be reduced. Everyone now understands that smoking, drinking too much alcohol, being inactive or overweight can seriously damage your health, but what many don’t realise is these factors also increase the likelihood of them developing dementia.

Changes

‘Obviously the earlier in life that healthy changes are made the better, but it’s never too late to start.’
The guidelines highlight figures showing women aged 65 to 74 and men aged 55 to 64 are the unhealthiest of all groups.

Nearly one in six women aged 65 to 74 have four or more bad habits that put them at risk of poor future health including smoking, obesity, not exercising and having a poor diet. And one in five men aged 55 to 64 have four or more.

Dr Alison Cook, of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Making good choices later in life is critical.”
By Sophie Borland, courtesy of Dailymail

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