Latest news with #NorwichMedicalSchool
Daily Record
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
Older motorists urged 'put 1 gadget in vehicle' to keep driving
Drivers who don't have this tool in their car tend to drive less often, says new research Older drivers could keep hold their driving licence for longer if they fit one gadget in their cars, says new research. Those over 65 years old who are still getting behind the wheel could benefit from the technology which could allow mature motorists to 'maintain their driving independence' for longer. Installing a satellite navigation GPS device in their cars could be a benefit, according to a new study from the University of East Anglia. Researchers found that drivers in that age category with Sat Nav systems in their cars 'tend to drive more frequently'. Those that don't use them didn't drive as often and effectively forced themselves off the road. Sat Nav systems are a common feature of newer cars but they can be installed separately. Professor Hornberger, spokesperson for UEA's Norwich Medical School, said the GPS systems can help older road users with their sense of direction. He said: 'We found that a considerable majority of older drivers use navigation assistance at least for some journeys, and commonly for the entire journey to a new destination. 'Older people with a poorer sense of direction rely more on Sat Navs. 'But the really important thing we found is that those who use GPS tend to drive more frequently than those who do not, suggesting that these tools help mitigate against spatial orientation difficulties and help maintain driving mobility. 'This means that if we support older drivers with using GPS navigation, it could really help maintain their driving independence, keeping them on the roads safely for longer,' reports the Express. The study saw experts question 895 UK drivers aged over 65, with the average age of participants aged 71. The participants self-reported how often and far they tend to drive, how their sense of direction was and how they tend to use GPS tools while behind the wheel. Modern Sat Navs have a voice which walks through directions and can also provide speed alerts and traffic updates. That means it helps elderly individuals to focus on their driving without having to worry about anything else. Professor Hornberger added: 'Driving is usually the preferred mode of transport among older adults, and it can be vital for maintaining independence, quality of life, wellbeing, and cognitive health as we age. 'But age-related cognitive decline means that people might experience worsening spatial abilities, leading them to drive less and less.' There have been calls for older drivers to face medical tests over the age of 70. Eyesight tests and cognitive testing is not mandatory for drivers of this age. Instead they have to declare themselves medically fit to drive. And last week Prime Minister Keir Starmer was urged to introduce stricter eyesight testing rules for all drivers. The Association of Optometrists (AOP) had previously claimed the current rules around road vision checks are 'out of step' and were in need of a review. Dr Peter Hampson, Optometrist and Clinical and Policy Director at the AOP, said they had been calling for tougher vision checks on UK roads. After similar remarks from the Older Drivers Forum and a leading coroner, Sir Keir Starmer and the Government are being urged to react and change the rules.
The Independent
18-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
The big reason England is falling behind other European nations in life expectancy
England's waistlines are expanding, leading to the country lagging behind other European nations in life expectancy, a study suggests. Researchers are calling for urgent action to combat unhealthy lifestyles, citing poor diets and a lack of exercise as key factors. While advances in heart disease and cancer care boosted life expectancy between 1990 and 2011, these improvements slowed considerably from 2011 to 2019. Researchers attribute this slowdown to rising body mass index (BMI) scores, poor diets, and low exercise levels. The study, led by experts from the University of East Anglia (UEA), examined life expectancy trends across 20 European countries from 1990 to 2021. The researchers compared various factors impacting life expectancy in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and other European nations including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. Between 1990 and 2011, all countries experienced annual life expectancy improvements, averaging 0.23 years. However, the rate of improvement decreased between 2011 and 2019 in all but one country (Norway). In England, life expectancy increased by an average of 0.25 years annually from 1990 to 2011. This slowed to an average increase of 0.07 years in 2011 to 2019. Researchers said that England experienced the largest decline in life expectancy improvement during the period studied. Between 2019 and 2021, which includes the first part of the Covid-19 pandemic, most countries saw a fall in life expectancy except for Ireland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Researchers said that the countries which 'best maintained' improvements in life expectancy had fewer heart disease and cancer deaths. They called for government action to improve overall population health, including helping people to have better diets and more exercise. Lead researcher Professor Nick Steel, from UEA's Norwich Medical School, said: 'Advances in public health and medicine in the 20th century meant that life expectancy in Europe improved year after year, but this is no longer the case. 'We found that deaths from cardiovascular diseases were the primary driver of the reduction in life expectancy improvements between 2011–19. Unsurprisingly, the Covid pandemic was responsible for decreases in life expectancy seen between 2019–21.' He continued: 'Countries like Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, and Belgium held onto better life expectancy after 2011, and saw reduced harms from major risks for heart disease, helped by government policies. 'In contrast, England and the other UK nations fared worst after 2011 and also during the Covid pandemic, and experienced some of the highest risks for heart disease and cancer, including poor diets.' Asked about England specifically, he said: 'We're not doing so well with heart disease and cancer. 'We have high dietary risks in England and high levels of physical inactivity and high obesity levels.' The trends are decades long and there isn't a quick fix, he said.
Telegraph
18-02-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Life expectancy in England rising more slowly than rest of Europe
Experts from the University of East Anglia have called for urgent action to help people get healthier, with poor diets and couch-potato lifestyles partly to blame. Advances in life expectancy between 1990 and 2011 have been attributed to improvements in care for heart disease and cancer. Poor diet, low levels of exercise and increasing body mass index scores have been linked to the slowdown of these improvements from 2011 to 2019. Academics compared several factors linked to life expectancy across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. Between 2019 and 2021, which includes the first part of the Covid-19 pandemic, most countries saw a fall in life expectancy except for Ireland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Government action required Researchers said that the countries which best maintained improvements in life expectancy had fewer heart disease and cancer deaths. They called for government action to improve overall population health, including helping people have better diets and more exercise. Prof Nick Steel, the lead author from UEA's Norwich Medical School, said heart disease was the main cause for the slowing progress in life expectancy since 2011, as well as the pandemic. 'Countries like Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, and Belgium held onto better life expectancy after 2011, and saw reduced harms from major risks for heart disease, helped by government policies,' he said. 'In contrast, England and the other UK nations fared worst after 2011 and also during the Covid pandemic, and experienced some of the highest risks for heart disease and cancer, including poor diets.' He added: 'We have high dietary risks in England and high levels of physical inactivity and high obesity levels. These trends are decades long – there isn't a quick fix.' He said the message to the current Government was that societal change needed to be bigger than 'easy access to scanners and a well man check or well woman check with your already overloaded GP'. 'This is about the big, long-term population protections from risk – so engaging with the food industry to improve our national diet to make it easier for people to eat healthier food and make it easier for people to move a little bit in our day-to-day lives.' Natural longevity ceiling not yet reached Prof Steel added: 'Life expectancy for older people in many countries is still improving, showing that we have not yet reached a natural longevity ceiling. 'Life expectancy mainly reflects mortality at younger ages, where we have lots of scope for reducing harmful risks and preventing early deaths. 'Comparing countries' national policies that improved population health were linked to better resilience to future shocks.' Figures from the Office for National Statistics released last week show that about one in five girls born in the UK in 2030 is projected to live on average to at least 100 years old, rising to almost one in four by 2047. The projections are lower for boys but still indicate a rise, with more than one in eight males born in 2030 living to celebrate their centenary, climbing to about one in six by 2047. The study is published in The Lancet Public Health journal.
