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Steven Noble
Editor, Internal Publications
p. 403.440.5692
e-mail: snoble@mtroyal.ca

Fred Cheney
Media Relations Officer
p. 403.440.5195
e-mail: fcheney@mtroyal.ca

 

The Coordinator for Mount Royal University’s Gerontology Certificate Program, Marianne Rogerson, may be new to the University, but she has wasted no time in bringing a high profile speaker to campus.

Craig Willcox, PhD, an internationally recognized expert in healthy aging and cross-cultural gerontology, visited Mount Royal earlier this week to share some thoughts on his research, which is based on a study of some of the world’s oldest people from Okinawa, Japan.

Craig Wilcox shares some of his wisdom earned while studying centenarians in Okinawa, Japan.

According to Willcox, centenarians are the fastest growing demographic, with the number of centenarians doubling approximately every five years.

“Sixty-five is the new 40, 100 is the new 80,” says Willcox.

He noted that the slowest growing demographic is the age range from zero to 64 years old.

So what’s the secret to living a long and healthy life?

Willcox had a number of suggestions. Ironically none of them should come as a surprise to anyone.

His studies have shown that eating healthy is definitely a major factor in longevity.

“Nutrition plays a vital role in how we age,” he says.

Co-author of the Okinawa Diet Program, Willcox has been studying the diet of Okinawans for several years.

Rogerson believes that injecting this type of cross-cultural research and understanding to Mount Royal’s gerontology curriculum helps by providing different perspectives on healthy living.

“Different cultures, especially in Asia, have a different relationship with food,” Rogerson says.

“We can learn some obvious lessons from other cultures to help bring down our caloric intake and to disengage from meals,” says Rogerson.

“North Americans tend to eat everything on their plates even if they aren’t hungry.”

Willcox offered the audience examples of how a different culture’s approach to healthy living could have a revolutionary effect on western culture.

“Healthy aging needs to be defined better to be measured … In Japan, diseases associated with old age are called ‘Lifestyle related diseases,’” says Wilcox. “Putting the onus on the people themselves to take responsibility for their own health.”

Fundamental changes to how we approach healthy aging are obvious from the steady and consistent rise in the number of centenarians in the world, but there is still a tremendous amount of research to be done.

Rogerson hopes to bring in other such experts offering fresh and exciting perspectives on healthy aging.

“It’s exciting for students to be exposed to different views offered by experts in the field from all over the world,” says Rogerson.

Some interesting facts from Willcox’s presentation: 90% of the current centenarian population is female Inflammation is the link between aging and age associated diseases There has been a 400% increase in the number of centenarians living globally Smoking is the number one preventable cause of age associated diseases Studies of twins show familial component stronger at older ages Powerful things you can do to practice healthy aging: See your doctor regularly Quit or avoid smoking Have less than three alcoholic drinks a day Eat higher quality food (nutrient dense but calorie poor) Stay active, move more Be a lifelong learner Get married and stay married For more information on Mount Royal’s Gerontology Studies please contact Marianne Rogerson at 6882.

— Fred Cheney, Nov. 19, 2009