AROUND 60 percent of the Filipino work force is aging prematurely, according to nutrition milk brand Anlene by New Zealand-based international exporter Fonterra Cooperative Group.
At a recent press event, the company cited that a number of studies link poor diet as one of the most common factors that contribute to extrinsic aging, including chronic sun exposure and other environmental factors, particularly smoking.
“Half of Filipinos aged 19 to 60 are not getting enough protein, while more than 90 percent don’t get enough calcium, which can lead to bone, muscle and joint deterioration and weakness,” said Fely Velandria, registered nutritionist dietician and former Food and Nutrition Research Institute-Department of Science and Technology senior science research specialist.
Human aging is characterized by a state of chronic, low-grade sterile inflammation. Certain foods, like trans fats, are known to trigger systematic inflammation that may result to age-related diseases and premature aging.
Premature aging also causes exhaustion that can affect an individual’s energy and productivity levels: “[It] is not only about looking older, it also means you get easily tired, and you’re generally weaker compared to people your age who are not aging prematurely,” said Jo Ann Salamat, nutrition manager of Fonterra Philippines. She added, “Low bone density and poor muscle mass brought about by lack of calcium and protein may affect one’s ability to stay active and keep up with day-to-day challenges. Unfortunately, with everyone’s busy lifestyle, balancing work, family and traffic, we tend to compromise on our food choices, sleep and exercise. That’s why even younger adults are experiencing premature aging.”
A health risk assessment among 5,000 business-process outsourcing (BPO) employees in Metro Manila revealed that around 35 percent of those between 18 to 50 years old have low metabolism and bone mass. Metabolic age is a comparison between a person’s basal metabolic rate (amount of energy or kilocalories you burn a day to keep your body functioning) against the average BMR for an age.
The calculation uses your age as a benchmark to determine your body’s efficiency by comparing that benchmark against the average metabolic rate of different ages. This is usually done by determining your visceral fat around the waist, weight and muscle mass and body fat percentage.
If your metabolic age is lower than your actual age, it means your body is in good health. If your metabolic age is higher than your actual age, it may be that you have health problems or you are simply not fit. The makers of Anlene suggest adding calcium- and protein-rich foods to your diet to improve your metabolic age. “Healthy aging has been among the top advocacies of our brand,” said Roberta Mundo, senior brand manager of Fonterra Philippines.
“Apart from raising awareness on the topic, we also want the public to know that Anlene can help in [combating] premature aging.”