Highlights from our speakers
We were honoured to hear from Professor Mikel Izquierdo Redin, Professor and Deputy Head of the Department of Health Sciences at the Public University of Navarra (UPNA), who highlighted the urgent need for exercise to be formally prescribed as a cornerstone of future healthcare.
Professor Stephen Harridge, Professor of Human & Applied Physiology at King’s College London, emphasised that physical activity is essential for maintaining optimal, age-appropriate physiological function, reinforcing exercise as a key tool throughout ageing.
Dr Oliver Shannon, Lecturer in Nutrition and Ageing at Newcastle University, compared the Eatwell Guide and the Mediterranean diet, discussing which approach may best suit the UK population and the key barriers to adoption. Strikingly, only around 30% of people currently meet five or more of the nine Eatwell Guide recommendations.
Dr Julie Whitney, Lecturer in Physiotherapy at King’s, demonstrated that exercise is a highly effective intervention to prevent falls, both in people living with frailty and those without – provided the intensity and frequency are sufficient.
Dr Adrian Carballo, researcher in nutritional epidemiology at the Karolinska Institute, explored how diet quality interacts with health transitions in later life, while Professor Wendy Hall, Professor of Nutritional Sciences at King’s, outlined the dietary changes needed to improve cardiovascular health and reduce CVD risk.
The role of the gut microbiome was a major theme throughout the day.
Dr Niharika Duggal, Assistant Professor in Immunity and Ageing at the University of Birmingham, explained how the gut microbiome changes with age and its critical impact on immune ageing, highlighting microbiome-based therapies as a promising strategy for healthier ageing.
Dr Holly Neill, Science Officer at Yakult UK, discussed how women’s gut microbiome diversity declines during menopause, with these changes linked to adverse cardiometabolic risk profiles. She also highlighted the role of hormone replacement therapy in helping to mitigate gut microbiota imbalance.
Dr Francesco Asnicar, Assistant Professor at the University of Trento, told us about a new index derived from microbiome assessment of stool samples which can provide an indication of your gut health. They derived this from a study involving hundreds of thousands of people in the UK and USA. Results could be used to monitor gut health in response to treatments.
Mr Allen Law, CEO, Morrow joined us online to outline his role to create a longevity ecosystem and a new global model for preventive healthcare.
Hear more from some of our speakers: