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News — Washington D.C. -- Emerging research on aging reveals it is possible to extend the healthspan while delaying or preventing chronic diseases associated with aging through nutrition and exercise interventions.

Please join us for all or part of a 4-part webinar series starting March 4 and ending May 6.

The Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (HNRCA) is one of the largest research centers in the world on nutrition and physical activity, and their relationship to healthy aging. The Center makes significant contributions to research to empower people to enjoy long, active, and independent lives.

The Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS), a research nonprofit uniquely positioned to mobilize industry, government and academia to drive, fund and lead actionable research, is collaborating with the HNRCA on a series of webinars to promote healthy aging through nutrition science. IAFNS elevates food safety and nutrition sciences to advance public health. The organization was founded on the belief that collaboration and the inclusion of diverse perspectives is crucial to credible science that benefits the entire food and beverage ecosystem.

Join hosts from IAFNS and leading scientists from the HNRCA as they share their latest research on how food and nutrition are critical determinants of a healthy and independent lifestyle for older adults. Talks will present research that focuses on the biology of aging at the cellular level all the way to how to directly impact healthspan through diet and physical activity.

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March 4:Improving the healthspan of older adults: The biology of agingWe know age is a risk factor for many chronic diseases and research also shows that disease can accelerate the aging process and shorten a person’s healthspan. During this webinar we will examine the role of inflammation and other cellular processes in older adults and possible interventions, including diet, that may slow some diseases and extend quality of life. Understanding the biology of aging is a vital part of unlocking many of the unknowns associated with aging.

Speakers:

Sarah Booth, Ph.D., senior scientist and Center Director (short overview/context setting)

Simin Meydani, D.V.M., Ph.D., senior scientist

Christopher Wiley, Ph.D., scientist II

March 25: Improving the healthspan of older adults: Balancing a healthy weight while meeting micronutrientneeds for bone and muscle health This webinar addresses the fact that older adults need to reduce their daily calorie intake. How do you do this and maintain a healthy body weight and be sure we address bone and muscle health? To maintain bone health, it’s vital to obtain calcium combined with vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium. Continuing their ground-breaking research on bone health, HNRCA scientists will share their latest findings on the detrimental effect acid-producing diets have on bone strength.

Speakers:

Bess Dawson Hughes, M.D., senior scientist

Susan Roberts, Ph.D., senior scientist

April 15: Improving the healthspan of older adults: Delaying age-related eye diseases

The risk of age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration can be reduced by eating a dietary pattern with plenty of fruits and vegetables and complex carbohydrates such as whole grains. HNRCA investigators have shown that diets high in simple carbs such as white bread and carbonated beverages create spikes in blood sugar leading to widespread inflammation, a condition linked to age-related macular degeneration. In this webinar they will share novel findings on the link between the gut microbiota and eye health and possible interventions to delay eye disease in older adults.

Speakers:

Sheldon Rowan, Scientist II

Kelsey Smith, M.S., doctoral student

May 6: Improving the healthspan of older adults: Delaying cognitive decline Regular exercise and healthy dietary patterns that focus on whole grains, berries, leafy green vegetables and healthy fats are associated with or have positive effects in improving or delaying cognitive decline in older adults. HNRCA researchers will share observational findings as well as the results of community-based programs promoting the benefits of physical activity on cognition. In this webinar, HNRCA scientists will also discuss promising results of animal studies involving the generation of new brain cells that may lead to interventions that improve memory function in older adults.

Speakers:Paul Jacques, D.Sc., senior scientist

Kieran Reid, Ph.D., M.P.H., scientist I

Tong Zheng, Ph.D., scientist I

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