Theories of aging

This week we have speak about some theories of aging in class and  i would like to mention two of them particulary. One biologic theorie which is called the programmed theory and one psychosocial theorie which is called the activity theory. 

Programmed theory 

This theory said mainly that mamals are genetically programmed, we have a "biologic clock" that regulates growth and development. So life expectancy is predetermined, with cells programmed to divide a certain number of times. This functional changes in the cells cause aging. 

I am not totally agree with this theory, because maybe is too simply. From my point of view this theory do not consider some important aspects such as might be the life style, the place where her life, the economy, all the diseases that a person can have during all her life and which can reduce the expectance of life etc..

I mean, Do you think that people who have obesity, smoke and drink or they have been a cancer, can live more than people who have a good life style (having a good diet, doing excercise, not having bad habits like smoking or alcohol...)? All this only because her "biologic clock" said  this is the end.  

But on the other hand, i agree in same cases, when a healty elderly dies without any reason, this theory can have the answer saying that her cell numer were finished.

Activity theory     

This theory is one of my favorites because in my opinion, if everyone did moderate exercise and had a proper diet, in other words, if people followed a proper life style, the life expectancy would increase a lot and many of illness that we know (above all cardiovascular diseases) it will greatly reduce. 
The activity theory proposes that activity (mental and physical both) is necessary for successful aging.  An active life helps maintain functioning well into old age so having a "busy life" we reduce the propability of suffer any kind of mental or physical disease like alzehimer. We can find a lot of 

We can find numerous studies that confirm this theory, for example, the study carried out by Buchman AS et al evidence that physical frailty in old age is associated with Alzheimer in older persons. 
In conclusion, if you want to have a healthy life remember, you only have to practice moderate exerecice and eat healthy in order to come up with the best possible health to the old age.

Bibliography 

• Buchman AS, Schneider JA, Leurgans S,et al. Physical frailty in older persons is associated with Alzheimer disease pathology. Neurology. 2008 August 12; 71(7): 499–504. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2676981/

• Libertini G. Empirical evidence for various evolutionary hypotheses on species demonstrating increasing mortality with increasing chronological age in the wild. The Scientific World Journal 2008; 8:182-93. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18301820

• Nauert PhD, R. Mental, Physical, Social Activity Help Maintain Brain. Psych Central [serial on the Internet] 2012 [Retrieved on April 14, 2013]. Available from: http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/04/30/mental-physical-social-activity-help-maintain-brain/38024.html

• The Cochrane library. [Data base on the Internet]. Oxford: Cochrane editorial-unit; 1999  [updated 2012 May 16; cited 2013 Apr 14]. Physical Activity and exercise for health and well being of older people (Cochrane Review).  Available from: http://www.thecochranelibrary.com/details/collection/2043267/Physical-activity-and-exercise-for-health-and-well-being-of-older-people.html