Physical activity in older age: perspectives for healthy ageing and frailty.

Regular physical activity helps to improve physical and mental functions as well as reverse some effects of chronic disease to keep older people mobile and independent. Despite the highly publicised benefits of physical activity, the overwhelming majority of older people in the United Kingdom do not meet the minimum physical activity levels needed to maintain health. The sedentary lifestyles that predominate in older age results in premature onset of ill health, disease and frailty. Local authorities have a responsibility to promote physical activity amongst older people, but knowing how to stimulate regular activity at the population-level is challenging. The physiological rationale for physical activity, risks of adverse events, societal and psychological factors are discussed with a view to inform public health initiatives for the relatively healthy older person as well as those with physical frailty. The evidence shows that regular physical activity is safe for healthy and for frail older people and the risks of developing major cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, obesity, falls, cognitive impairments, osteoporosis and muscular weakness are decreased by regularly completing activities ranging from low intensity walking through to more vigorous sports and resistance exercises. Yet, participation in physical activities remains low amongst older adults, particularly those living in less affluent areas. Older people may be encouraged to increase their activities if influenced by clinicians, family or friends, keeping costs low and enjoyment high, facilitating group-based activities and raising self-efficacy for exercise

Green soap. A calculation model for improving outdoor air quality in urban contexts and evaluating the benefits to the population’s health status

reserved6noRegarding environmental sustainability, the encyclical “Laudato si” considers cities as living laboratories of nature-based solutions, capable of protect and promoting the population’s health status, as well improving sustainable land use and biodiversity. Densely-built urban contexts are affected by high levels of outdoor air pollution, coming from smog and fine particles, caused by vehicular traffic and the combustion processes of buildings’ heating systems. These pollutants cause several health issues, such as asthma, inflammatory and degenerative diseases and respiratory, cardiovascular and stress-related illnesses. At the same time, green areas are capable of absorbing toxic substances and of filtering polluted air. Taking into account the lack of green areas in urban environments, green roofs are delivering excellent alternatives for future implementations. A calculation model, named Green SOAP (Green Solutions for Outdoor Air Pollution), has been developed that quantifies green roofs’ capability to reduce air pollutants, with positive benefits on the environment, the population’s health status and the economic sustainability of the National Healthcare System. The research work has been structured in three macro-phases. A preliminary phase takes care of the state-of-the-art definition, through comparison with reference scientific bibliography; the proposal phase concerns the calculation model’s development; and the implementation phase consists of the application of Green SOAP in the “Città Studi” neighborhood, a case study identified in the city of Milano. The calculation-model application, according to the percentages defined by the morpho-typological analysis of the buildings, has shown that, with the new green roofs’ construction, it’s possible to reduce the pollutants approximately as high as 18.09 μg/m3of PM10, 13.56 μg/m3of PM2.5 and 7.24 μg/m3of O3each year. Nowadays, Green SOAP is being implemented within several contexts to verify its consistency and to increase the sample of case studies.mixedBuffoli, Maddalena; Rebecchi, Andrea*; Gola, Marco; Favotto, Annalisa; Procopio, Giulia Palma; Capolongo, StefanoBuffoli, Maddalena; Rebecchi, Andrea; Gola, Marco; Favotto, Annalisa; Procopio, Giulia Palma; Capolongo, Stefan