By: Kay Sisk, Dietetic Intern and Graduate Student, Case Western Reserve University Date: 5/16/11
May is Older Americans Month, sponsored by the U.S. Administration on Aging. The theme of this year’s celebration, “Older Americans: Connecting the Community,” pays respect to the many ways in which adults 60 years and older contribute to our communities. This year, Older Americans Month also highlights the many ways technology is helping older Americans live longer, healthier and more engaged lives.
One fun event that promotes fitness and fosters connections among older adults is the Community Center Video Game Tournament. Across the county, older adults can visit a participating community center and register for the Nintendo Wii video game tournament. One category of these interactive games is muscle-strengthening exercise, an activity that’s key for healthy aging.
Managing Muscle Loss as We Age
After the age of 30, men and women begin to lose skeletal muscle mass by about 5% per decade. This age-related muscle loss is known as sarcopenia, and it affects one-quarter to one-half of all men and women over the age of 65. With weaker muscles, older adults are more likely to fall and have injuries like broken hips, a growing concern for many Americans as our population ages.
Staying Strong, Living Long
As we age, we can stay strong and live long by strengthening our muscles and preventing muscle loss. Dr. Blake Rasmussen says that resistance exercise (or muscle-strengthening exercise) is good for older adults because it increases muscle size, strength and function. (In other words, use them or lose them!) However, findings from the IFIC Foundation2011 Food & Health Survey show that most Americans who claim to be active don’t include any strength training sessions.
The U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults engage in muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week. While lifting weights and doing push-ups may be the first of these exercises that come to mind, they aren’t the only ones that build stronger muscles. Everyday activities such as climbing stairs, carrying groceries or gardening can also strengthen muscles.
Packing a Protein Punch
Along with resistance exercise, Dr. Rasmussen says that eating protein within one to three hours after exercise has added benefits for building muscle. He also suggests that eating high-quality, protein-rich foods over the course of the day (25-30g per meal, or the amount of protein in a 3 to 3.5 oz. chicken breast), could optimize potential muscle growth. This can be challenging, though, especially for older adults who generally eat less.
Recipe for Success
Research Chef, Simon Lusky, seeks innovative ways to “get a lot of nutrients into a small package,” especially for older adults who may get full quickly. His recipe for high-protein pancakes with fresh fruit, for example, can provide 30 grams of protein.
Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes
1 C oats
3 egg whites
¼ C water
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 scoop (47g) vanilla soy protein powder (Note: scoop size may vary)
Add all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until a smooth batter is made. Cook on a hot nonstick pan or griddle for about 30 seconds on each side. Garnish with fresh raspberries and syrup (optional).
Nutrition Facts: (Serving Size: 2 Pancakes; 200g) Calories 370, Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 0.5g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 350mg, Total Carbohydrate 53g, Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 13g, Protein 30g
Check out other high-protein foods and learn more about living well and living longer. Do you have a favorite recipe that’s packed with protein? Share it here!
This is Part 1 of a 2-part series of blog posts on healthy aging and muscle maintenance. Read about current and emerging research in the field of muscle and aging in Part 2 (coming soon.)