Abstract
Only 20–25% of healthy life expectancy is predetermined by genes; lifestyle and environment play a major role. In the past decades, biogerontological research has significantly contributed to a better understanding of the ageing process that now provides the basis for the development of efficient intervention strategies suitable to increase healthy life expectancy. Based on the most recent biogerontological findings, the authors summarise which interventions at which stage of life are needed to preserve health and prevent or ameliorate disease. Classical lifestyle interventions as well as novel pharmacological substances with mixed proof of efficacy and evidence are discussed. The authors conclude that novel communication strategies, incentives, and regulations need to be developed to promote and force the adoption of a healthy lifestyle in the general population.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Ackermann, R. T., Mulrow, C. D., Ramirez, G., Gardner, C. D., Morbidoni, L., & Lawrence, V. A. (2001). Garlic Shows Promise for Improving Some Cardiovascular Risk Factors. Archives of Internal Medicine, 161, 813–824.
Akazawa, N., Choi, Y., Miyaki, A., Tanabe, Y., Sugawara, J., Ajisaka, R., & Maeda, S. (2012). Curcumin Ingestion and Exercise Training Improve Vascular Endothelial Function in Postmenopausal Women. Nutrition Research, 32, 795–799.
Al-Azzawi, F., & Palacios, S. (2009). Hormonal Changes During Menopause. Maturitas, 63, 135–137.
Allan, G. M., Cranston, L., Lindblad, A., Mccormack, J., Kolber, M. R., Garrison, S., & Korownyk, C. (2016). Vitamin D: A Narrative Review Examining the Evidence for Ten Beliefs. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 31, 780–791.
Anderson, R. M., Shanmuganayagam, D., & Weindruch, R. (2009). Caloric Restriction and Aging: Studies in Mice and Monkeys. Toxicologic Pathology, 37, 47–51.
Anisimov, V. N., Berstein, L. M., Popovich, I. G., Zabezhinski, M. A., Egormin, P. A., Piskunova, T. S., Semenchenko, A. V., Tyndyk, M. L., Yurova, M. N., Kovalenko, I. G., & Poroshina, T. E. (2011a). If Started Early in Life, Metformin Treatment Increases Life Span and Postpones Tumors in Female SHR Mice. Aging (Albany NY), 3, 148–157.
Anisimov, V. N., Zabezhinski, M. A., Popovich, I. G., Piskunova, T. S., Semenchenko, A. V., Tyndyk, M. L., Yurova, M. N., Rosenfeld, S. V., & Blagosklonny, M. V. (2011b). Rapamycin Increases Lifespan and Inhibits Spontaneous Tumorigenesis in Inbred Female mice. Cell Cycle, 10, 4230–4236.
Baker, D. J., Wijshake, T., Tchkonia, T., LeBrasseur, N. K., Childs, B. G., van de Sluis, B., Kirkland, J. L., & van Deursen, J. M. (2011). Clearance of p16Ink4a-Positive Senescent Cells Delays Ageing-Associated Disorders. Nature, 479(7372), 232–236.
Bannister, C. A., Holden, S. E., Jenkins-Jones, S., Morgan, C. L., Halcox, J. P., Schernthaner, G., Mukherjee, J., & Currie, C. J. (2014). Can People with Type 2 Diabetes Live Longer Than Those Without? A Comparison of Mortality in People Initiated with Metformin or Sulphonylurea Monotherapy and Matched, Non-diabetic Controls. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 16, 1165–1173.
Baracco, G. J., Eisert, S., Saavedra, S., Hirsch, P., Marin, M., & Ortega-Sanchez, I. R. (2015). Clinical and Economic Impact of Various Strategies for Varicella Immunity Screening and Vaccination of Health Care Personnel. American Journal of Infection Control, 43, 1053–1060.
Barouki, R., Gluckman, P. D., Grandjean, P., Hanson, M., & Heindel, J. J. (2012). Developmental Origins of Non-communicable Disease: Implications for Research and Public Health. Environmental Health, 11, 1–9.
Bartke, A., Coschigano, K., Kopchick, J., Chandrashekar, V., Mattison, J., Kinney, B., & Hauck, S. (2001). Genes That Prolong Life: Relationships of Growth Hormone and Growth to Aging and Life Span. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 56, B340–B349.
Barzilai, N., Crandall, J. P., Kritchevsky, S. B., & Espeland, M. A. (2016). Metformin as a Tool to Target Aging. Cell Metabolism, 23, 1060–1065.
Baur, J. A., & Sinclair, D. A. (2006). Therapeutic Potential of Resveratrol: The in Vivo Evidence. Nature Reviews. Drug Discovery, 5, 493–506.
Baur, J. A., Pearson, K. J., Price, N. L., Jamieson, H. A., Lerin, C., Kalra, A., Prabhu, V. V., Allard, J. S., Lopez-Lluch, G., Lewis, K., Pistell, P. J., Poosala, S., Becker, K. G., Boss, O., Gwinn, D., Wang, M., Ramaswamy, S., Fishbein, K. W., Spencer, R. G., Lakatta, E. G., Le Couteur, D., Shaw, R. J., Navas, P., Puigserver, P., Ingram, D. K., de Cabo, R., & Sinclair, D. A. (2006). Resveratrol Improves Health and Survival of Mice on a High-Calorie Diet. Nature, 444, 337–342.
Bengtsson, T., & Lindström, M. (2003). Airborne Infectious Diseases During Infancy and Mortality in Later Life in Southern Sweden, 1766–1894. International Journal of Epidemiology, 32, 286–294.
Bergmann, R. L., Diepgen, T. L., Kuss, O., Bergmann, K. E., Kujat, J., Dudenhausen, J. W., & Wahn, U. (2002). Breastfeeding Duration Is a Risk Factor for Atopic Eczema. Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 32, 205–209.
Berstein, L. M. (2012). Metformin in Obesity, Cancer and Aging: Addressing Controversies. Aging (Albany NY), 4, 320–329.
Bitto, A., & Kaeberlein, M. (2014). Rejuvenation: It’s in Our Blood. Cell Metabolism, 20, 2–4.
Bitto, A., Ito, T. K., Pineda, V. V., Letexier, N. J., Huang, H. Z., Sutlief, E., Tung, H., Vizzini, N., Chen, B., Smith, K., Meza, D., Yajima, M., Beyer, R. P., Kerr, K. F., Davis, D. J., Gillespie, C. H., Snyder, J. M., Treuting, P. M., & Kaeberlein, M. (2016). Transient Rapamycin Treatment Can Increase Lifespan and Healthspan in Middle-Aged Mice. Elife, 5, pii: e16351.
Bjedov, I., & Partridge, L. (2011). A Longer and Healthier Life with TOR Down-Regulation: Genetics and Drugs. Biochemical Society Transactions, 39, 460–465.
Bjelakovic, G., Nikolova, D., Gluud, L. L., Simonetti, R. G., & Gluud, C. (2012). Antioxidant Supplements for Prevention of Mortality in Healthy Participants and Patients with Various Diseases. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cd007176.
Bjelakovic, G., Gluud, L. L., Nikolova, D., Whitfield, K., Wetterslev, J., Simonetti, R. G., Bjelakovic, M., & Gluud, C. (2014). Vitamin D Supplementation for Prevention of Mortality in Adults. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cd007470.
Blackburn, E. H., Epel, E. S., & Lin, J. (2015). Human Telomere Biology: A Contributory and Interactive Factor in Aging, Disease Risks, and Protection. Science, 350, 1193–1198.
Brondino, N., & Re, S. (2014). Curcumin as a Therapeutic Agent in Dementia: A Mini Systematic Review of Human Studies. The Scientific World Journal, 2014, 174282.
Brooks-Wilson, A. R. (2013). Genetics of Healthy Aging and Longevity. Human Genetics, 132, 1323–1338.
Campisi, J., & Robert, L. (2014). Cell Senescence, Role in Aging and Age-Related Diseases. Interdisciplinary Topics in Gerontology, 39, 45–61.
Caruso, C., Passarino, G., Puca, A., & Scapagnini, G. (2012). “Positive Biology”: The Centenarian Lesson. Immunity & Ageing, 9, 5.
Carwile, J. L., & Michels, K. B. (2011). Urinary Bisphenol A and Obesity: NHANES 2003–2006. Environmental Research, 111, 825–830.
Colman, R. J., Beasley, T. M., Kemnitz, J. W., Johnson, S. C., Weindruch, R., & Anderson, R. M. (2014). Caloric Restriction Reduces Age-Related and All-Cause Mortality in Rhesus Monkeys. Nature Communications, 5, 3557.
Conboy, I. M., Conboy, M. J., & Rebo, J. (2015). Systemic Problems: A Perspective on Stem Cell Aging and Rejuvenation. Aging (Albany NY), 7, 754–765.
Conti, V., Izzo, V., Corbi, G., Russomanno, G., Manzo, V., De Lise, F., Di Donato, A., & Filippelli, A. (2016). Antioxidant Supplementation in the Treatment of Aging-Associated Diseases. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 7, 24.
Dai, D. F., Chiao, Y. A., Marcinek, D. J., Szeto, H. H., & Rabinovitch, P. S. (2014). Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress in Aging and Healthspan. Longev Healthspan, 3, 6.
Darnton-Hill, I., Nishida, C., & James, W. P. (2004). A Life Course Approach to Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases. Public Health Nutrition, 7, 101–121.
de Cabo, R., Carmona-Gutierrez, D., Bernier, M., Hall, M. N., & Madeo, F. (2014). The Search for Antiaging Interventions: From Elixirs to Fasting Regimens. Cell, 157, 1515–1526.
De Haes, W., Frooninckx, L., Van Assche, R., Smolders, A., Depuydt, G., Billen, J., Braeckman, B. P., Schoofs, L., & Temmerman, L. (2014). Metformin Promotes Lifespan Through Mitohormesis Via the Peroxiredoxin Prdx-2. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111, E2501–E2509.
Debost-Legrand, A., Warembourg, C., Massart, C., Chevrier, C., Bonvallot, N., Monfort, C., Rouget, F., Bonnet, F., & Cordier, S. (2016). Prenatal Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants and Organophosphate Pesticides, and Markers of Glucose Metabolism at Birth. Environmental Research, 146, 207–217.
Dewey, K. G., Heinig, M. J., & Nommsen-Rivers, L. A. (1995). Differences in Morbidity Between Breast-Fed and Formula-Fed Infants. The Journal of Pediatrics, 126, 696–702.
Dolan, G. P., Harris, R. C., Clarkson, M., Sokal, R., Morgan, G., Mukaigawara, M., Horiuchi, H., Hale, R., Stormont, L., Bechard-Evans, L., Chao, Y. S., Eremin, S., Martins, S., Tam, J. S., Penalver, J., Zanuzdana, A., & Nguyen-Van-Tam, J. S. (2012). Vaccination of Health Care Workers to Protect Patients at Increased Risk for Acute Respiratory Disease. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 18, 1225–1234.
Dolara, P., Bigagli, E., & Collins, A. (2012). Antioxidant Vitamins and Mineral Supplementation, Life Span Expansion and Cancer Incidence: A Critical Commentary. European Journal of Nutrition, 51, 769–781.
Doll, R., Peto, R., Boreham, J., & Sutherland, I. (2004). Mortality in Relation to Smoking: 50 Years’ Observations on Male British Doctors. BMJ, 328, 1519.
Duijts, L., Jaddoe, V. W. V., Hofman, A., & Moll, H. A. (2010). Prolonged and Exclusive Breastfeeding Reduces the Risk of Infectious Diseases in Infancy. Pediatrics, 126, e18–e25.
Eisenberg, T., Knauer, H., Schauer, A., Buttner, S., Ruckenstuhl, C., Carmona-Gutierrez, D., Ring, J., Schroeder, S., Magnes, C., Antonacci, L., Fussi, H., Deszcz, L., Hartl, R., Schraml, E., Criollo, A., Megalou, E., Weiskopf, D., Laun, P., Heeren, G., Breitenbach, M., Grubeck-Loebenstein, B., Herker, E., Fahrenkrog, B., Frohlich, K.-U., Sinner, F., Tavernarakis, N., Minois, N., Kroemer, G., & Madeo, F. (2009). Induction of Autophagy by Spermidine Promotes Longevity. Nature Cell Biology, 11, 1305–1314.
Ernst, E. (2002). The Risk-Benefit Profile of Commonly Used Herbal Therapies: Ginkgo, St. John’s Wort, Ginseng, Echinacea, Saw Palmetto, and Kava. Annals of Internal Medicine, 136, 42–53.
Feil, R., & Fraga, M. F. (2012). Epigenetics and the Environment: Emerging Patterns and Implications. Nature Reviews. Genetics, 13, 97–109.
Ferrucci, L., Cooper, R., Shardell, M., Simonsick, E. M., Schrack, J. A., & Kuh, D. (2016). Age-Related Change in Mobility: Perspectives From Life Course Epidemiology and Geroscience. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 71, 1184–1194.
Fiori, J. L., Shin, Y.-K., Kim, W., Krzysik-Walker, S. M., González-Mariscal, I., Carlson, O. D., Sanghvi, M., Moaddel, R., Farhang, K., Gadkaree, S. K., Doyle, M. E., Pearson, K. J., Mattison, J. A., de Cabo, R., & Egan, J. M. (2013). Resveratrol Prevents β-Cell Dedifferentiation in Nonhuman Primates Given a High-Fat/High-Sugar Diet. Diabetes, 62, 3500–3513.
Fisher, A., & Morley, J. E. (2002). Antiaging Medicine: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 57, M636–M639.
Fleg, J. L. (2012). Aerobic Exercise in the Elderly: A Key to Successful Aging. Discovery Medicine, 13, 223–228.
Fleischauer, A. T., & Arab, L. (2001). Garlic and Cancer: A Critical Review of the Epidemiologic Literature. The Journal of Nutrition, 131, 1032s–1040s.
Fontana, L. (2009). The Scientific Basis of Caloric Restriction Leading to Longer Life. Current Opinion in Gastroenterology, 25, 144–150.
Fontana, L., & Partridge, L. (2015). Promoting Health and Longevity Through Diet: From Model Organisms to Humans. Cell, 161, 106–118.
Fontana, L., Partridge, L., & Longo, V. D. (2010). Extending Healthy Life Span – From Yeast to Humans. Science, 328, 321–326.
Fontana, L., Adelaiye, R. M., Rastelli, A. L., Miles, K. M., Ciamporcero, E., Longo, V. D., Nguyen, H., Vessella, R., & Pili, R. (2013). Dietary Protein Restriction Inhibits Tumor Growth in Human Xenograft models. Oncotarget, 4, 2451–2461.
Forsyth, J. S. (1995). The Relationship Between Breast-Feeding and Infant Health and Development. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 54, 407–418.
Gavazzi, G. (2009). Influenza Vaccination for Healthcare Workers: From a Simple Concept to a Resistant Issue? Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 21, 216–221.
Gergen, P. J., Mcquillan, G. M., Kiely, M., Ezzati-Rice, T. M., Sutter, R. W., & Virella, G. (1995). A Population-Based Serologic Survey of Immunity to Tetanus in the United States. The New England Journal of Medicine, 332, 761–766.
Giefing-Kroll, C., Berger, P., Lepperdinger, G., & Grubeck-Loebenstein, B. (2015). How Sex and Age Affect Immune Responses, Susceptibility to Infections, and Response to Vaccination. Aging Cell, 14, 309–321.
Gliemann, L., Schmidt, J. F., Olesen, J., Bienso, R. S., Peronard, S. L., Grandjean, S. U., Mortensen, S. P., Nyberg, M., Bangsbo, J., Pilegaard, H., & Hellsten, Y. (2013). Resveratrol Blunts the Positive Effects of Exercise Training on Cardiovascular Health in Aged Men. The Journal of Physiology, 591, 5047–5059.
Gluckman, P. D., Hanson, M. A., Cooper, C., & Thornburg, K. L. (2008). Effect of in Utero and Early-Life Conditions on Adult Health and Disease. The New England Journal of Medicine, 359, 61–73.
Gonzalez-Freire, M., de Cabo, R., Bernier, M., Sollott, S. J., Fabbri, E., Navas, P., & Ferrucci, L. (2015). Reconsidering the role of Mitochondria in Aging. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 70, 1334–1342.
Goodell, M. A., & Rando, T. A. (2015). Stem Cells and Healthy Aging. Science, 350, 1199–1204.
Groot, C., Hooghiemstra, A. M., Raijmakers, P. G., Van Berckel, B. N., Scheltens, P., Scherder, E. J., Van Der Flier, W. M., & Ossenkoppele, R. (2016). The Effect of Physical Activity on Cognitive Function in Patients with Dementia: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Control Trials. Ageing Research Reviews, 25, 13–23.
Hale, M. W., Spencer, S. J., Conti, B., Jasoni, C. L., Kent, S., Radler, M. E., Reyes, T. M., & Sominsky, L. (2015). Diet, Behavior and Immunity Across the Lifespan. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 58, 46–62.
Hanson, M. A., & Gluckman, P. D. (2014). Early Developmental Conditioning of Later Health and Disease: Physiology or Pathophysiology? Physiological Reviews, 94, 1027–1076.
Harvie, M. N., Pegington, M., Mattson, M. P., Frystyk, J., Dillon, B., Evans, G., Cuzick, J., Jebb, S. A., Martin, B., Cutler, R. G., Son, T. G., Maudsley, S., Carlson, O. D., Egan, J. M., Flyvbjerg, A., & Howell, A. (2011). The Effects of Intermittent or Continuous Energy Restriction on Weight Loss and Metabolic Disease Risk Markers: A Randomized Trial in Young Overweight Women. International Journal of Obesity, 35, 714–727.
Heilbronn, L. K., Smith, S. R., Martin, C. K., Anton, S. D., & Ravussin, E. (2005). Alternate-Day Fasting in Nonobese Subjects: Effects on Body Weight, Body Composition, and Energy Metabolism. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 81, 69–73.
Hercberg, S., Galan, P., Preziosi, P., Alfarez, M. J., & Vazquez, C. (1998). The Potential Role of Antioxidant Vitamins in Preventing Cardiovascular Diseases and Cancers. Nutrition, 14, 513–520.
Hypponen, E., Kenward, M. G., Virtanen, S. M., Piitulainen, A., Virta-Autio, P., Tuomilehto, J., Knip, M., & Akerblom, H. K. (1999). Infant Feeding, Early Weight Gain, and Risk of Type 1 Diabetes. Childhood Diabetes in Finland (DiMe) Study Group. Diabetes Care, 22, 1961–1965.
Jimenez-Gomez, Y., Mattison, J. A., Pearson, K. J., Martin-Montalvo, A., Palacios, H. H., Sossong, A. M., Ward, T. M., Younts, C. M., Lewis, K., Allard, J. S., Longo, D. L., Belman, J. P., Malagon, M. M., Navas, P., Sanghvi, M., Moaddel, R., Tilmont, E. M., Herbert, R. L., Morrell, C. H., Egan, J. M., Baur, J. A., Ferrucci, L., Bogan, J. S., Bernier, M., & de Cabo, R. (2013). Resveratrol Improves Adipose Insulin Signaling and Reduces the Inflammatory Response in Adipose Tissue of Rhesus Monkeys on High-Fat, High-Sugar Diet. Cell Metabolism, 18, 533–545.
Johannsson, G., Svensson, J., & Bengtsson, B. A. (2000). Growth Hormone and Ageing. Growth Hormone & IGF Research, 10 Suppl B, S25–S30.
Johnson, J. B., Summer, W., Cutler, R. G., Martin, B., Hyun, D. H., Dixit, V. D., Pearson, M., Nassar, M., Telljohann, R., Maudsley, S., Carlson, O., John, S., Laub, D. R., & Mattson, M. P. (2007). Alternate Day Calorie Restriction Improves Clinical Findings and Reduces Markers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Overweight Adults with Moderate Asthma. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 42, 665–674.
Johnson, S. C., Rabinovitch, P. S., & Kaeberlein, M. (2013). mTOR Is a Key Modulator of Ageing and Age-Related Disease. Nature, 493, 338–345.
Kaeberlein, M., Rabinovitch, P. S., & Martin, G. M. (2015). Healthy Aging: The Ultimate Preventative Medicine. Science, 350, 1191–1193.
Kaliman, P., Parrizas, M., Lalanza, J. F., Camins, A., Escorihuela, R. M., & Pallas, M. (2011). Neurophysiological and Epigenetic Effects of Physical Exercise on the Aging Process. Ageing Research Reviews, 10, 475–486.
Kramer, M. S., Matush, L., Vanilovich, I., Platt, R., Bogdanovich, N., Sevkovskaya, Z., Dzikovich, I., Shishko, G., & Mazer, B. (2007). Effect of Prolonged and Exclusive Breast Feeding on Risk of Allergy and Asthma: Cluster Randomised Trial. BMJ, 335, 815.
Kull, I., Bohme, M., Wahlgren, C. F., Nordvall, L., Pershagen, G., & Wickman, M. (2005). Breast-Feeding Reduces the Risk for Childhood Eczema. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 116, 657–661.
Laaksonen, D. E., Lindstrom, J., Lakka, T. A., Eriksson, J. G., Niskanen, L., Wikstrom, K., Aunola, S., Keinanen-Kiukaanniemi, S., Laakso, M., Valle, T. T., Ilanne-Parikka, P., Louheranta, A., Hamalainen, H., Rastas, M., Salminen, V., Cepaitis, Z., Hakumaki, M., Kaikkonen, H., Harkonen, P., Sundvall, J., Tuomilehto, J., & Uusitupa, M. (2005). Physical Activity in the Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes: The Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study. Diabetes, 54, 158–165.
Lafortune, L., Martin, S., Kelly, S., Kuhn, I., Remes, O., Cowan, A., & Brayne, C. (2016). Behavioural Risk Factors in Mid-Life Associated with Successful Ageing, Disability, Dementia and Frailty in Later Life: A Rapid Systematic Review. PLoS One, 11, e0144405.
Lanzieri, G. (2011). The Greying of the Baby Boomers. In Eurostat (Ed.), Population and Social Conditions. European Union: Eurostat – Statistics in Focus.
Lee, I. M., & Skerrett, P. J. (2001). Physical Activity and All-Cause Mortality: What Is the Dose-Response Relation? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 33, S459–S471; Discussion S493–S494.
Li, S., & Laher, I. (2015). Exercise Pills: At the Starting Line. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 36(12), 906–917.
Liu, K., Zhou, R., Wang, B., & Mi, M. T. (2014). Effect of Resveratrol on Glucose Control and Insulin Sensitivity: A Meta-Analysis of 11 Randomized Controlled Trials. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 99, 1510–1519.
Longo, V. D., & Mattson, M. P. (2014). Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications. Cell Metabolism, 19, 181–192.
MacGillivray, D. M., & Kollmann, T. R. (2014). The Role of Environmental Factors in Modulating Immune Responses in Early Life. Frontiers in Immunology, 5, 434.
Mannick, J. B., Del Giudice, G., Lattanzi, M., Valiante, N. M., Praestgaard, J., Huang, B., Lonetto, M. A., Maecker, H. T., Kovarik, J., Carson, S., Glass, D. J., & Klickstein, L. B. (2014). mTOR Inhibition Improves Immune Function in the Elderly. Science Translational Medicine, 6, 268ra179.
Martin-Montalvo, A., Mercken, E. M., Mitchell, S. J., Palacios, H. H., Mote, P. L., Scheibye-Knudsen, M., Gomes, A. P., Ward, T. M., Minor, R. K., Blouin, M. J., Schwab, M., Pollak, M., Zhang, Y., Yu, Y., Becker, K. G., Bohr, V. A., Ingram, D. K., Sinclair, D. A., Wolf, N. S., Spindler, S. R., Bernier, M., & de Cabo, R. (2013). Metformin Improves Healthspan and Lifespan in Mice. Nature Communications, 4, 2192.
Mattison, J. A., Wang, M., Bernier, M., Zhang, J., Park, S. S., Maudsley, S., An, S. S., Santhanam, L., Martin, B., Faulkner, S., Morrell, C., Baur, J. A., Peshkin, L., Sosnowska, D., Csiszar, A., Herbert, R. L., Tilmont, E. M., Ungvari, Z., Pearson, K. J., Lakatta, E. G., & de Cabo, R. (2014). Resveratrol Prevents High Fat/Sucrose Diet-induced Central Arterial Wall Inflammation and Stiffening in Nonhuman Primates. Cell Metabolism, 20, 183–190.
Mattson, M. P., Allison, D. B., Fontana, L., Harvie, M., Longo, V. D., Malaisse, W. J., Mosley, M., Notterpek, L., Ravussin, E., Scheer, F. A., Seyfried, T. N., Varady, K. A., & Panda, S. (2014). Meal Frequency and Timing in Health and Disease. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111, 16647–16653.
Mazumder, B., Almond, D., Park, K., Crimmins, E. M., & Finch, C. E. (2010). Lingering Prenatal Effects of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic on Cardiovascular Disease. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 1, 26–34.
McCarron, P., Smith, G. D., Okasha, M., & Mcewen, J. (2000). Blood Pressure in Young Adulthood and Mortality from Cardiovascular Disease. Lancet, 355, 1430–1431.
McPhee, J. S., French, D. P., Jackson, D., Nazroo, J., Pendleton, N., & Degens, H. (2016). Physical Activity in Older Age: Perspectives for Healthy Ageing and Frailty. Biogerontology, 17, 567–580.
Mercken, E. M., Carboneau, B. A., Krzysik-Walker, S. M., & de Cabo, R. (2012). Of Mice and Men: The Benefits of Caloric Restriction, Exercise, and Mimetics. Ageing Research Reviews, 11, 390–398.
Mercken, E. M., Crosby, S. D., Lamming, D. W., Jebailey, L., Krzysik-Walker, S., Villareal, D. T., Capri, M., Franceschi, C., Zhang, Y., Becker, K., Sabatini, D. M., de Cabo, R., & Fontana, L. (2013). Calorie Restriction in Humans Inhibits the PI3K/AKT Pathway and Induces a Younger Transcription Profile. Aging Cell, 12, 645–651.
Michel, J., Newton, J. L., & Kirkwood, T. L. (2008). Medical Challenges of Improving the Quality of a Longer Life. JAMA, 299, 688–690.
Miller, R. A., Harrison, D. E., Astle, C. M., Baur, J. A., Boyd, A. R., de Cabo, R., Fernandez, E., Flurkey, K., Javors, M. A., Nelson, J. F., Orihuela, C. J., Pletcher, S., Sharp, Z. D., Sinclair, D., Starnes, J. W., Wilkinson, J. E., Nadon, N. L., & Strong, R. (2011). Rapamycin, but Not Resveratrol or Simvastatin, Extends Life Span of Genetically Heterogeneous Mice. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 66, 191–201.
Monteverde, M., Noronha, K., & Palloni, A. (2009). Effect of Early Conditions on Disability Among the Elderly in Latin America and the Caribbean. Population Studies (Camb), 63, 21–35.
Morley, J. E., & Flaherty, J. H. (2002). It’s Never Too Late: Health Promotion and Illness Prevention in Older Persons. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 57, M338–M342.
Mulvey, L., Sinclair, A., & Selman, C. (2014). Lifespan Modulation in Mice and the Confounding Effects of Genetic Background. Journal of Genetics and Genomics, 41, 497–503.
Nicklas, B. J., & Brinkley, T. E. (2009). Exercise Training as a Treatment for Chronic Inflammation in the Elderly. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 37, 165–170.
O’Toole, P. W., & Jeffery, I. B. (2015). Gut Microbiota and Aging. Science, 350, 1214–1215.
Oliveras-Lopez, M. J., Molina, J. J., Mir, M. V., Rey, E. F., Martin, F., & De La Serrana, H. L. (2013). Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) Consumption and Antioxidant Status in Healthy Institutionalized Elderly Humans. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 57, 234–242.
Paliy, O., Piyathilake, C. J., Kozyrskyj, A., Celep, G., Marotta, F., & Rastmanesh, R. (2014). Excess Body Weight During Pregnancy and Offspring Obesity: Potential Mechanisms. Nutrition, 30, 245–251.
Paricio Talayero, J. M., Lizán-García, M., Puime, Á. O., Muncharaz, M. J. B., Soto, B. B., Sánchez-Palomares, M., Serrano, L. S., & Rivera, L. L. (2006). Full Breastfeeding and Hospitalization as a Result of Infections in the First Year of Life. Pediatrics, 118, e92–e99.
Partridge, L. (2010). The New Biology of Ageing. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, B: Biological Sciences, 365, 147–154.
Partridge, L. (2014). Intervening in Ageing to Prevent the Diseases of Ageing. Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, 25, 555–557.
Patel, K. R., Scott, E., Brown, V. A., Gescher, A. J., Steward, W. P., & Brown, K. (2011). Clinical Trials of Resveratrol. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1215, 161–169.
Pembrey, M., Saffery, R., Bygren, L. O., & Epidemiology, N. I. E. (2014). Human Transgenerational Responses to Early-Life Experience: Potential Impact on Development, Health and Biomedical Research. Journal of Medical Genetics, 51, 563–572.
Podmore, I. D., Griffiths, H. R., Herbert, K. E., Mistry, N., Mistry, P., & Lunec, J. (1998). Vitamin C Exhibits Pro-oxidant Properties. Nature, 392, 559.
Poland, G. A., Jacobson, R. M., & Ovsyannikova, I. G. (2009). Trends Affecting the Future of Vaccine Development and Delivery: The Role of Demographics, Regulatory Science, the Anti-vaccine Movement, and Vaccinomics. Vaccine, 27, 3240–3244.
Prato, R., Tafuri, S., Fortunato, F., & Martinelli, D. (2010). Vaccination in Healthcare Workers: An Italian Perspective. Expert Review of Vaccines, 9, 277–283.
Pucciarelli, S., Moreschini, B., Micozzi, D., De Fronzo, G. S., Carpi, F. M., Polzonetti, V., Vincenzetti, S., Mignini, F., & Napolioni, V. (2012). Spermidine and Spermine Are Enriched in Whole Blood of Nona/Centenarians. Rejuvenation Research, 15, 590–595.
Puterman, E., Lin, J., Krauss, J., Blackburn, E. H., & Epel, E. S. (2015). Determinants of Telomere Attrition Over 1 Year in Healthy Older Women: Stress and Health Behaviors Matter. Molecular Psychiatry, 20, 529–535.
Raffaghello, L., Lee, C., Safdie, F. M., Wei, M., Madia, F., Bianchi, G., & Longo, V. D. (2008). Starvation-Dependent Differential Stress Resistance Protects Normal but Not Cancer Cells Against High-Dose Chemotherapy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 105, 8215–8220.
Rattan, S. I. S. (2014). Aging Is Not a Disease: Implications for Intervention. Aging and Disease, 5, 196–202.
Robinson, S. M. (2015). Infant Nutrition and Lifelong Health: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 6, 384–389.
Ruchat, S.-M., Bouchard, L., & Hivert, M.-F. (2014). Early Infant Nutrition and Metabolic Programming: What Are the Potential Molecular Mechanisms? Current Nutrition Reports, 3, 281–288.
Scudellari, M. (2015). Ageing Research: Blood to Blood. Nature, 517, 426–429.
Seals, D. R., & Melov, S. (2014). Translational Geroscience: Emphasizing Function to Achieve Optimal Longevity. Aging (Albany NY), 6, 718–730.
Sohal, R. S., & Forster, M. J. (2014). Caloric Restriction and the Aging Process: A Critique. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 73, 366–382.
Spindler, S. R. (2005). Rapid and Reversible Induction of the Longevity, Anticancer and Genomic Effects of Caloric restriction. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 126, 960–966.
Steves, C. J., Spector, T. D., & Jackson, S. H. (2012). Ageing, Genes, Environment and Epigenetics: What Twin Studies Tell Us Now, and in the Future. Age and Ageing, 41, 581–586.
Tchkonia, T., Zhu, Y., Van Deursen, J., Campisi, J., & Kirkland, J. L. (2013). Cellular Senescence and the Senescent Secretory Phenotype: Therapeutic Opportunities. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 123, 966–972.
Todd, C., & Skelton, D. (2004). What Are the Main Risk Factors for Falls Amongst Older People and What Are the Most Effective Interventions to Prevent These Falls? Health Evidence Network report [Online]. Available: http://www.euro.who.int/document/E82552.pdf. Accessed 5 Apr 2004.
Toschke, A. M., Vignerova, J., Lhotska, L., Osancova, K., Koletzko, B., & von Kries, R. (2002). Overweight and Obesity in 6- to 14-Year-Old Czech Children in 1991: Protective Effect of Breast-Feeding. The Journal of Pediatrics, 141, 764–769.
Tremblay, M. S., Gray, C., Babcock, S., Barnes, J., Bradstreet, C. C., Carr, D., Chabot, G., Choquette, L., Chorney, D., Collyer, C., Herrington, S., Janson, K., Janssen, I., Larouche, R., Pickett, W., Power, M., Sandseter, E. B., Simon, B., & Brussoni, M. (2015). Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12, 6475–6505.
Vafeiadi, M., Roumeliotaki, T., Myridakis, A., Chalkiadaki, G., Fthenou, E., Dermitzaki, E., Karachaliou, M., Sarri, K., Vassilaki, M., Stephanou, E. G., Kogevinas, M., & Chatzi, L. (2016). Association of Early Life Exposure to Bisphenol A with Obesity and Cardiometabolic Traits in Childhood. Environmental Research, 146, 379–387.
Vaiserman, A. (2011). Early-Life Origin of Adult Disease: Evidence from Natural Experiments. Experimental Gerontology, 46, 189–192.
Varady, K. A., Bhutani, S., Church, E. C., & Klempel, M. C. (2009). Short-Term Modified Alternate-Day Fasting: A Novel Dietary Strategy for Weight Loss and Cardioprotection in Obese Adults. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 90, 1138–1143.
Vaupel, J. W., Carey, J. R., & Christensen, K. (2003). It’s Never Too Late. Science (New York, N.Y.), 301, 1679–1681.
Verdin, E. (2015). NAD+ in Aging, Metabolism, and Neurodegeneration. Science, 350, 1208–1213.
Viner, R. M., Coffey, C., Mathers, C., Bloem, P., Costello, A., Santelli, J., & Patton, G. C. (2011). 50-Year Mortality Trends in Children and Young People: A Study of 50 Low-Income, Middle-Income, and High-Income Countries. The Lancet, 377, 1162–1174.
von Kries, R., Koletzko, B., Sauerwald, T., Von Mutius, E., Barnert, D., Grunert, V., & Von Voss, H. (1999). Breast Feeding and Obesity: Cross Sectional Study. BMJ, 319, 147–150.
Von Werder, K. (1999). The Somatopause Is No Indication for Growth Hormone Therapy. Journal of Endocrinological Investigation, 22, 137–141.
Wakeford, R., & Bithell, J. F. (2015). Childhood Cancer – The Role of Birthweight and Antenatal Radiography. International Journal of Epidemiology, 44, 1741–1743.
Walford, R. L., Mock, D., Verdery, R., & Maccallum, T. (2002). Calorie Restriction in Biosphere 2: Alterations in Physiologic, Hematologic, Hormonal, and Biochemical Parameters in Humans Restricted for a 2-Year Period. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 57, B211–B224.
Wang, Y., & Hekimi, S. (2015). Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Longevity in Animals: Untangling the Knot. Science, 350, 1204–1207.
Wang, X. S., Armstrong, M. E., Cairns, B. J., Key, T. J., & Travis, R. C. (2011). Shift Work and Chronic Disease: The Epidemiological Evidence. Occupational Medicine (London), 61, 78–89.
Wang, I. F., Guo, B. S., Liu, Y. C., Wu, C. C., Yang, C. H., Tsai, K. J., & Shen, C. K. (2012). Autophagy Activators Rescue and Alleviate Pathogenesis of a Mouse Model with Proteinopathies of the TAR DNA-Binding Protein 43. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109, 15024–15029.
Who Regional Office For Europe. (2004). Physical Activity and Health in Europe: Evidence for Action [Online]. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe. Available: http://www.euro.who.int/de/what-we-publish/abstracts/physicalactivity-and-health-in-europe-evidence-for-action
Wilkinson, J. E., Burmeister, L., Brooks, S. V., Chan, C. C., Friedline, S., Harrison, D. E., Hejtmancik, J. F., Nadon, N., Strong, R., Wood, L. K., Woodward, M. A., & Miller, R. A. (2012). Rapamycin Slows Aging in Mice. Aging Cell, 11, 675–682.
Willcox, B. J., & Willcox, D. C. (2014). Caloric Restriction, Caloric Restriction Mimetics, and Healthy Aging in Okinawa: Controversies and Clinical Implications. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 17, 51–58.
Yi, Z., Gu, D., & Land, K. C. (2007). The Association of Childhood Socioeconomic Conditions with Healthy Longevity at the Oldest-Old Ages in China. Demography, 44, 497–518.
Yuan, C., Gaskins, A. J., Blaine, A. I., et al. (2016). Association Between Cesarean Birth and Risk of Obesity in Offspring in Childhood, Adolescence, and Early Adulthood. JAMA Pediatrics, e162385.
Zouboulis, C. C., & Makrantonaki, E. (2012). Hormonal Therapy of Intrinsic Aging. Rejuvenation Research, 15, 302–312.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Giefing-Kröll, C., Grubeck-Loebenstein, B. (2019). Improving Health in Later Life: How a Life Course Approach Could Improve Health and Well-Being in Old Age. In: Walker, A. (eds) The Future of Ageing in Europe. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1417-9_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1417-9_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-13-1416-2
Online ISBN: 978-981-13-1417-9
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)