BBC focuses on Faroese research on aging
The science of aging comes into the spotlight in the new BBC produced series “Secrets of the Superagers”, presented by Dr Michael Mosley.
In the presentation of the series, it is said that the series sees Dr Mosley traveling the world to meet people who seem to have unlocked the secrets to defying aging. He collects their secrets and investigates the science behind their claims and, in doing so, provides viewers with tangible tips on how to live longer, healthier lives. The show covers every part of the aging process, providing opportunities to question and change how people age.
It has recently been revealed that part two of the six episodes’ series focuses on research projects conducted in the Faroe Islands by Professor Magni Mohr and his research team.
The project today runs under the heading Football is Medicine, which is an international research platform that involves 250 researchers around the world. The first project was originally called Svim og Spæl (SOS; Swim and Play) and was launched in 2013. 85 middle aged women, who previously hadn’t been physically active, joined a programme with either football, high-intensity swimming, moderate-intensity swimming, or a control group. The focus was on the general health effects from the different types of training.
The project participants continued the football training in a club and have been playing ever since. In 2022 the research team did a follow-up study on the participants which by now have reached the menopause stage. The focus in the follow-up study was on broad-spectrum health effects, and the focus in the BBC program is on the bone health in sedentary middle-aged women transiting to the menopause.
The research results have been published widely in international journals and have been highlighted in the news all around the world. Moreover, the follow-up results have been written into two new scientific papers that are expected to be published later this year and early 2024. Some of these findings are displayed in the “Secrets of the Superagers” programme on BBC.
Please see Professor Magni Mohr’s profile on pure.fo
Please see interview with Dr Michael Mosely here
Sources: www.setur.fo and World Screen