老化理論與老人保健（一）

Aging Theories and Elderly Care (I)

李宗派(Isaiah C. Lee)

《身心障礙研究季刊》 2卷1期 (2004/01) Pp. 14-29

https://doi.org/10.30072/JDR.200401.0002

摘要

全球之老年人口急速增加，台灣之老年人口佔總人口數已超過10%，老年人口依賴比例首度突破13%（指65歲以上人口佔15~64歲之人口比例），年老指數飆至46%，老化速度已超過日本及全球各主要國家（內政部之統計資料，2003年11月底）。十年後台灣之老年人口將超過幼年人口，未來之年輕人財政負擔將十分沉重，每四人要養活一位老人，老化人口問題將極為嚴重。 這一篇文章將探討廿一世紀最新之老化理論與對老人保健研究與實務操作之影響。文章內容將分析生物學之老化理論所包括兩大主要部分：生理結構性損傷與已擬定安排之器官退化有關理論。前者為個人在後天之人體與生活環境互動所產生；後者為個人在先天之遺傳基因所賦予之因素。結構性損傷理論包括了穿戴磨損理論、殘渣堆積理論、虛假重建理論、免疫抑制理論、錯誤與修補理論、熱能限制理論、分子交叉聯結理論、線粒體之損傷理論、自由基之破損理論。遺傳基因賦予之理論，可包括海弗利克理論之限制、染色體終端理論、長壽基因理論，以及多種理論之匯流。 老化理論對於老人保健之重大影響將討論抗老化之科學研究、分析生理結構之傷害因素、細胞分裂、生長限制、生物時鐘、預期壽命、老化速度、遺傳因子、染色體之角色、脂褐質、皮膚老化、免疫系統、抗氧化劑等等之主題。對於老人保健之意義，應重視優生學之研究，篩選不良基因可能帶來之身心障礙與老年退化疾病，研究如何克服或延緩健康之老化過程，增加抗氧化食物與藥品之研究，教育個人改變生活方式，選擇食物營養與適當之身心運動，吸收自然之抗氧化物，限制熱能食物之攝取，該由年輕時代開始預防老化，進一步促進政府當局以及社會大眾重視老人保健政策之擬定與實踐，才能貢獻於老人族群之幸福生活。

關鍵字

生物時鐘 ； 自由基理論 ； 染色體終端理論 ； 結構性損傷理論 ； 海弗利克限制理論

並列摘要

This paper will discuss the basic and most prevalent theories of aging and their impact upon the issue of elderly care in the 21st century. The contents of this paper will analyze the various aging theories of biological science which cover two major camps of structured damage theories and genetic-programmed obsolescence theories. The former theories point to the results of interaction between individuals and their environment; the later theories point to the genetic factors inherited by their parental generation. The structured damage theories may include wear and tear theory, waste and accumulation theory, faulty reconstruction theory, immuno suppression theory, errors and repair theory, caloric restriction theory, molecular cross-linkage theory, mitochondrial damage theory, free radical theory etc. The genetic endowment theories may include Hayflick limit theory, telomere theory, longevity-gene theory, the confluence of theories etc. The impact of aging theories upon elderly care will discuss the scientific study of anti-aging issues and analyze the elements of structured damage, cell-reproduction, the limit of reproduction, biological clock, life-expectancy, aging speed, genetic factors, the role of chromosome, lipfusion pigment, immunological system and antioxidants etc.
The paper emphasizes the importance of studying genetics related to various mentally and physically handicapped conditions as well as the various degenerated diseases of elderly population. The study of effective anti-oxidant methods in slowing down the speed of aging process is also suggested in the areas of food selection, nutrition, medicine, caloric limit, and proper physical exercise from the youthful age. The government and general public should be informed and alerted of the serious problems of elderly care in a rapid aging society.

並列關鍵字

aging ； anti-oxidant ； biological clock ； Hayflick limit theory

參考文獻

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