Cardiometabolic Risk, Aging, and Nutrition

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Foreword

Research Structures

Energy, Environment, and Biodiversity

Humanities and Ethics

Culture and Education

Society and Development

Information and Communication Technology

Biology and Health

Research Structures and Researchers

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Care for healthy aging

The Study Group on Cardiometabolic Risk, Aging, and Nutrition (Gericen), coordinated by Professor Carla Helena Schwanke and based at the Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology (IGG), promotes interdisciplinary epidemiological and basic research in three areas –Cardiometabolic risk factors, Biomarkers, and Nutritional factors – and the relationship of the three with aging.

Based on projects of nutritionists undergoing graduate study in Biomedical Gerontology at IGG, anthropometric evaluations are occurring on the elderly of the Family Health Strategy of Porto Alegre, a program from the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The goal is to establish specific references for this public profile, with cutoff points aligned with the reality of patients with metabolic syndrome/increased cardiovascular risk. Currently, most parameters are international or directed at adults. The results will inform public policies for health care of the elderly and will reduce the impact of cardiovascular diseases in this age range.

Another objective of the projects in the field of nutrition is linked to the management of metabolic syndrome with functional foods, given that metabolic syndrome has a prevalence greater than 50% among the elderly of Rio Grande do Sul (research data from Gericen). In 2013, in a new study from our group, the elderly will receive capsules with powdered cinnamon (Cinnamonum sp). The impacts of the product on decreased blood pressure, abdominal circumference, cholesterol levels, LDL, triglycerides, glucose, and glycated hemoglobin and on elevated levels of LDL will be determined.

In partnership with a visiting researcher from the University of Newcastle (United Kingdom), a study will be conducted on the perception of people at least 60 years old with regard to the use of technologies, such as computers and cellular phones, both for general activities and for monitoring their health and risk factors. In the future, efforts will be made to develop applications geared toward this group.