Healthy Ageing

Healthy Ageing

INVESTIGATING Healthy and Sustainable diets for an ageing population

Task Force Information

Objectives and list of Task Force members

Contact Information

Contact details in case you have specific questions

Activity Overview

Overview of ongoing and upcoming activities

Multimedia

Links to Task Force related documents, recordings and much more...

Expert Groups

Objectives, output and list of experts involved in each activity

Task Force Information

Objectives

In the upcoming years, the population of individuals aged over 65 will triple, with people over 80 constituting the most rapidly expanding segment. This prolonged lifespan has brought about an upsurge in chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, cancer, sarcopenia, and degenerative conditions. Research has revealed connections between dietary quality and life expectancy, as well as the potential benefits of interventions such as calorie restriction regimens, micronutrient supplementation, and antioxidants and functional foods consumption. Thus, nutrition, alongside physical activity, emerges as a natural arsenal in the fight against age-related ailments, with the potential to elevate health span. Incorporating sustainability into the pursuit of understanding ageing mechanisms and developing nutritional strategies aligns with a holistic vision of human health and well-being. It acknowledges the relationship between human health and the health of our planet, aiming for solutions that are not only effective for individuals but also sustainable for generations to come.  

The primary objectives of this task force are to provide an updated understanding of the mechanisms underpinning the ageing process and to explore environmentally sustainable and nutritional strategies to counter age-related diseases. 

« If you ask what ageing means to different age groups you will always get different answers. However, is the older age group highlighting an ageing process that could be delayed by acting at a younger age? And are these two -young and old- different concerning issues somehow connected? » Andrea Bertocco, Herbalife

Task Force Members

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Contact Information

For more detailed information, please contact Maria Tonti at mtonti@ilsieurope.be

Activity Overview

Upcoming activities

Ageing is a complex and multifaceted process that impacts individuals' health outcomes and quality of life. Despite significant advances in our understanding of the biological underpinnings of ageing, many research gaps persist, particularly in the identification and validation of biomarkers and metrics that can accurately reflect the ageing process. Recognizing the urgency and importance of addressing these gaps, the ILSI Europe Task Force on Healthy Ageing will organise a series of closed stakeholder workshops to co-build and further develop their roadmap. By inviting key experts in the field, the task force aims to get valuable insights which will form the basis for developing a comprehensive roadmap on ageing and related scientific activities. The roadmap and future-related activities will be shaped around two or more workshops.  

- Biomarkers of biological ageing and human interventions

The first 2-day workshop in 2024 will focus on identifying and defining research gaps in biomarkers, metrics, and hallmarks of ageing. By evaluating the current state of knowledge, the Task Force aims to address critical questions such as whether it is possible to develop gold standard criteria or methods for ageing biomarkers. By reviewing existing interventions and recommendations, the Task Force will also seek to slow the adverse effects of biological ageing through nutritional and lifestyle interventions. The research questions identified in this workshop will serve as a basis to set up one or more new expert groups.  

- Focus on public health

In 2025, the task force will, in parallel, shift their focus to determine which health parameters can be improved through nutritional and lifestyle interventions. Additionally, the concept of nutri-economics will be explored, assessing the cost-saving potential of nutritional and lifestyle interventions for the ageing population. These questions form the foundation for developing the second part of the roadmap, guiding their efforts to formulate effective dietary and lifestyle recommendations aimed at slowing the adverse effects of biological ageing.

- Focused expert groups

Ultimately, the task force will identify and create several focussed expert groups on immunosenescence and inflammaging, the role of microbiota in healthy ageing, sarcopenia and brain health. 

Expert Groups

Coming soon...

Multimedia

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