SINGAPORE - Madam Ahsathiamal Subramanian, 65, has diabetes. The diagnosis two years ago means she has all five risk factors for metabolic syndrome, which puts her at serious risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease and stroke.
Associate Professor Reshma Merchant from NUS Medicine, who was one the leads in the study and authored the paper, said:"With ageing, there is increased prevalence of chronic diseases, higher fatty tissue and lower muscle mass which puts older adults at a higher risk of getting metabolic syndrome. A sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise or manual work also puts them at an increased risk.
Prof Merchant said there may be a genetic influence on how fat is distributed in different ethnic groups. If left unaddressed, the arteries can be damaged, leading to stiffness, calcium deposition and plaque formation. Prof Merchant noted that the loss of muscle mass and strength due to ageing, also known as sarcopenia, is associated with a two-fold increased risk of metabolic syndrome.
This has helped her lose 4kg over two years. She has also managed to bring her blood pressure down to a normal level and is maintaining a healthy level of sugar intake by watching her diet.Retiree Ng Moy Loang, who has hypertension, low levels of good cholesterol and is overweight, also takes part in the Happy programme.
He also advised seniors with the condition to do resistance exercises at least twice a week to enhance muscle health. The study explored the individual effects of obesity, hypertension and diabetes on Covid-19 severity and compared them with their combined effect in patients with metabolic syndrome.
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