The Schools of Kinesiology (UBC Vancouver) and Health and Exercise Sciences (UBCO) are co-hosting a weekly webinar series featuring current faculty research topics. The series runs May through June. All are invited to attend these free academic presentations on Friday afternoons from 3:00pm-4:30pm PST.
Dr. Eli Puterman PhD
Associate Professor
Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Health,
Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar
School of Kinesiology
Title: Exercising during stressful experiences: Impacts on physical and psychological wellbeing
Description:
Even though populations are ageing, older adults are not necessarily increasing their healthspan (i.e., years of maintained good health). Population aging has given rise to an increase in the incidence of non-communicable diseases, which account for the majority of deaths among older adults across the globe. Aging cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of non-communicable diseases.
Telomere shortening in cells plays a part of this aging process and is recognized as a biomarker of disease. Telomeres are DNA-protein caps at the ends of chromosomes that protect genetic material from degradation and their lengths indicate cellular aging. Although aging, genetic variants, and lifetime exposures (i.e. smoking or chronic psychological stress) contribute to telomere shortening across the lifespan, research indicates that certain health behaviours, like exercise, can protect against changes in telomere length.
In the current presentation, research highlighting the critical – and opposing – roles that life stress and exercise have on telomere length will be examined. Evidence from observational and prospective studies will demonstrate the role that stress has on health in general, and telomere length specifically.
Importantly, evidence from exercise-based intervention trials will be presented that emphasizes the influence of a physically active lifestyle to telomere length maintenance, especially when faced with chronic stress. Psychological and biological mechanisms of the benefits of physical activity and exercise on telomere maintenance will be explored.
Details:
Friday, June 26, 2020
3:00pm – 4:30pm
All Welcome – Free admission
Zoom link