Food shapes our health and life a lot, and it's especially important for older people.
A University of Barcelona-led study indicates that older individuals in hospitals who do not adhere to a Mediterranean diet may find value in participating in physical exercise programs to prevent hospitalization-related loss of daily-life abilities.
Let's find out more!
More about the study
By considering whether elderly patients follow a Mediterranean diet when they are admitted to the hospital, healthcare providers could create more personalized strategies to prevent this disability, which is common among the elderly.
The experiment also found that hospitalized older individuals who eat in a way similar to the Mediterranean diet can improve their overall condition through exercises.
Interestingly, patients who are in poorer physical condition tend to show better improvements when they participate in a physical exercise program.
Why it's important to know
In the experiment, out of the 110 volunteers, those who engaged in physical exercise and received health education during their hospitalization demonstrated improved functional abilities upon discharge.
The researchers also explored how dietary habits influenced the impact of exercise on preventing hospitalization-related decline.
Their findings showed that older individuals who followed a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, had a reduced risk of physical deterioration.
Interestingly, participants with lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet during their hospital stay seemed to benefit more from exercise interventions.
This indicates that adhering to a Mediterranean diet might help identify older patients who could experience more significant improvements from exercise programs.
