We are excited to share a groundbreaking publication from our consortium members prof. Ivan Bautmans and PhD Jotheeswaran Amuthavalli Thiyagarajan, recently published in the Lancet Healthy Longevity in November 2022. The paper presents the World Health Organization's (WHO) working definition of Vitality Capacity: "vitality capacity is a physiological state (due to normal or accelerated biological ageing processes) resulting from the interaction between multiple physiological systems, reflected in (the level of) energy and metabolism, neuromuscular function, and immune and stress response functions of the body." This transformative definition sets the stage for revolutionizing the monitoring of vitality at multiple levels, empowering older individuals and healthcare providers alike.
Empowering Older People with Innovative Tools and Techniques
The publication emphasizes the importance of developing simple, non-invasive, and cost-effective tools to provide a comprehensive overview of an individual's vitality capacity. By doing so, older people will gain the ability to manage their lifestyle and behavior, ultimately taking control of their aging trajectory. The introduction of these self-assessment tools, combined with objective measures, will shift the healthcare paradigm from a curative focus to a preventive approach, leveraging the WHO's definition of vitality capacity.
Shaping the Future of Personalized Care and Policy Making
The measurement of vitality capacity, grounded in the WHO's definition, has the potential to revolutionize personalized care for older individuals. Healthcare professionals can use comprehensive longitudinal monitoring of healthy aging trajectories to estimate risks and deliver tailored interventions. This timely identification of older people at risk for declined vitality capacity will enable targeted support to optimize healthy aging and wellbeing. Furthermore, measuring vitality at the population level will provide valuable information for policy makers, helping them assess the necessary facilities to promote healthy aging within communities.
The future of healthy longevity monitoring is upon us, and the WHO's definition of Vitality Capacity is set to pave the way for significant advancements in senior care. We eagerly await further research and development in this area, and encourage you to share your thoughts and ideas on the potential impacts of these breakthroughs.
Full publication can be found here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9640935/
