Living Better: Minnesota Family Physicians Encourage Healthy Aging

Wednesday February 6, 2002

People are living longer, but are they living better? Family doctors in Minnesota say you can take steps to ensure the last half of your life is as good as it possibly can be.

The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows life expectancy for the United States population reached a record high of almost 77 years. Females still tend to live longer with a life expectancy of 79.5 years compared to 74.1 years for men. Unfortunately, the added years of life are often spent battling chronic disease and disability. Family physicians want Minnesotans to know that the “quality” of those latter years can vastly improve if a person gets serious about his or her health early on. In fact, recent evidence suggests good health may be extended and disability significantly delayed if people quit smoking, stay at an appropriate weight and exercise.

“Of course, these are all things you’ve heard before, but what we’re saying is that diet, exercise and other lifestyle choices are not just about looking and feeling good now,” said Thomas Scheider, M.D., a Woodbury family doctor and member of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians. “Getting and staying healthy will have lasting impact as you age.”

Doctors believe healthy aging relies more on good decisions, than destiny. They say maintaining physical health is crucial to long-term health. According to the Administration on Aging, this theory, termed “compression of morbidity,” was developed by James Fries, M.D., a professor at Stanford University. It states that by reducing risk factors a person can postpone the disabling symptoms of diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, osteoarthritis and cancer. In other words, chronic diseases will be present for a shorter length of time, if at all.

“People are beginning to realize it’s not just about how long you can live, but how long you can live free from disease and disability.” Dr. Scheider said. “Patients tell us they want to stay independent as they grow older. This is the way to do it.”

Family physicians say people can keep themselves healthy by avoiding tobacco, eating right, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol, and seeing their doctor for preventive care, such as general health screenings and immunizations.

“It’s very important to see your doctor on a regular basis. He or she can give you reliable advice about diet, exercise, tobacco use, stress and accident prevention.” Dr. Scheider said. “It’s really about a change in attitude— realizing that the lifestyle choices you make today can lead to a healthier future.”

The Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians is a professional association of approximately 2,700 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students organized to assist family physicians in providing quality medical care in Minnesota. The MAFP is the largest medical specialty organization in Minnesota and is a state chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with more than 93,000 members.