‘Old fashioned’ exercise, healthy eating and socialising are secret to keeping healthy in old age, says Chris Whitty

People should adopt ‘old-fashioned’ methods to stay healthy as they get older because getting sick is not inevitable, Britain’s oldest doctor has said.

Professor Sir Chris Whitty called on people to take responsibility for their own health through good diet and exercise, as he called on the Government to do more to make healthy living the norm.

People are living longer and by 2050 a quarter of the UK population will be over 65.

But it should not be accepted that these extra years will be spent in poor health, in a care home or on a cocktail of debilitating drugs, Sir Chris added.

He advised people to talk to their family and doctor about how they would like to die and how aggressive treatment should be if they do get sick – and said older people could potentially enjoy a better quality of life if they cut the number of pills in half. they take.

Sir Chris (pictured) also advised people to talk to their family and doctor about how they would like to die and how aggressive treatment should be if they do get sick – and said older people could potentially enjoy a better quality of life if they halved the number of pills they took

Research shows that people become less active as they get older: a third of 75 to 85 year olds and 57 percent of people aged 85 and over are physically inactive.

In his annual report, Health in an Aging Society, Sir Chris said smoking rates are falling and alcohol consumption is falling in some groups, but ‘obesity is moving in the wrong direction’.

He suggested that people should turn to methods that are known to work. He said: ‘There are many things people can do for themselves that will delay the point where they develop first disability and then multi-morbidity.

‘They’re actually old-fashioned things.

‘A lot of exercise, having mental stimulation and a social network, eating a reasonably balanced diet (with) not too much fat, sugar and salt, moderating alcohol, quitting smoking if you do – these are things that are old-fashioned, but they still work.”

He said maintaining exercise for as long as possible is known to have a “huge positive impact on both physical and mental health in old age”, while eating plenty of fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of high blood pressure, chronic heart disease and reduces strokes.

The report points to an increase in the availability of foods high in fat, salt and sugar, with places such as takeaways selling ‘large portion sizes of high-calorie foods’.

Government action could include changing these environments, limiting the promotion of products high in fat, salt and sugar and using the planning system ‘to limit the concentration of hot takeaways in an area’.

Elsewhere in the report, Sir Chris said older people could be robbed of their independence and end up in care if homes, public buildings and cities are poorly planned.

He said that “being a parent in many parts of the country is extremely difficult” because homes are currently “built for young families” rather than the elderly.

At a press conference yesterday he also suggested that too many people are not being given a choice when it comes to life-extending treatments, even though they may not feel it is in their best interests.

Sir Chris suggested that art galleries and libraries could have grab bars or ramps to help people get around, while sidewalks and cycle paths should be accessible with a level surface ‘because the main thing people want is independence’.

It added: ‘Homes for older people should be in places where they can easily and safely reach the daily shops and services they need, preferably via active transport (walking or cycling) to help maintain their physical health.

‘Public and green spaces should be designed to meet the needs of older people, including those with sensory and physical disabilities.’

Sir Chris suggested that too many people are given no choice when it comes to life-extending treatments, feeling it is not in their best interests.

He said that “extending life may or may not be right, and the key question should be, ‘What does the patient want?’ and that question needs to be asked.

‘For example, many people are rushed to hospital in the middle of the night, simply because no one knows what their wishes are.’

Examples of such treatment may include major surgery, chemotherapy or continuation of medications that have side effects and whose main purpose is to prolong life, or repeated hospital admissions.

Sir Chris added: ‘One of the things geriatricians are often very good at is meeting a person who is on 25 medications, going through them and saying, ‘Actually you don’t need at least half of these. At this point in your life this won’t help you; the side effects added up will be quite problematic.”