Latest news with #UniversityofSharjah
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Do you struggle to lift five kilograms? Your health could be at risk, study finds
Scientists at the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates have devised a simple test that they can say can predict an increased risk of developing a host of health problems in older adults. All you have to do is try to pick up a five-kilogram weight. Struggle with that, they say, and you have a significantly higher risk of experiencing a lower quality of life, higher rates of depression, chronic lung diseases, hip fractures, joint disorders, high cholesterol, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, osteoarthritis and more. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports under a no-nonsense title: 'The simple task of lifting five kilograms serves as a predictor of age-related disorders in old adults.' The large-scale study involved 51,536 'geriatric adults' — that is to say 50 and older, a definition that may annoy some — from 14 European countries as well as Israel. It was a roughly even split between men and women, with about a third of the group aged between 60 and 69, another third between 70 and 79, and the rest younger or older. (About 4 per cent were 90 and above.) Participants were asked to report if they had difficulty lifting five kilograms in 2013 — 80.5 per cent said they did not — and were then followed for several years to see which diseases developed among each group. For a given disease, participants were excluded if they already had it in the baseline year. Take high blood pressure. In 2013, just under 60 per cent of the group were free of a diagnosis of high blood pressure. Of those, 21.5 per cent went on to develop it. But among the participants who had trouble lifting the weight when the study began, that number amounted to 26.2 per cent. For hip fractures, the overwhelming majority (97 per cent) did not have one when the study started. But in the years that followed, 3.5 per cent of those who had trouble lifting the weight experienced a hip fracture, versus just 1.5 per cent of those who did not struggle with the weight. Parsing the data between younger and older ages, the researchers found that men and women under 65 who had trouble lifting five kilograms were most at risk of developing depression, low quality of life, low hand-grip strength (which can also indicate risks of other diseases) and Alzheimer's. For older men and women who struggled with the weight, risk of Alzheimer's dropped somewhat while the other three conditions remained top of list. But for almost every condition the researchers tracked, struggling to lift five kilograms at the start of the study was a clear indicator of greater risk at the end. The only diseases that didn't fit the pattern were cancer and diabetes, where risk did not change. The reason for the design of the study was simple. 'Muscle weakness is a risk factor for multiple diseases,' the researchers wrote in their report. 'However, most protocols to assess muscle weakness require clinical settings. A difficulty lifting 5 kg may be a simple measure of muscle weakness in domestic settings. However, no relevant study on assessing muscle weakness has been reported.' They aimed to fill that gap. 'We suggest that difficulty lifting 5 kg may be a valuable indicator of muscle weakness and poor health in domestic settings. Our findings strongly suggest that this simple, everyday test could be a valuable early indicator of overall health and potential future health challenges.' If you're looking to try this test at home and don't have a five-kilogram weight handy, there are a number of household objects that come in at about the same mass, including a metal folding chair, a gallon of paint, two reams of printer paper or two bags of flour (conveniently marked 2.5 kg each).The average house cat also tips the scales at about five kilograms, if you can get your hands on one. Multivitamins are mostly useless, finds study of nearly 400,000 participants More than 46,000 people observed in a coffee study. Here's what happened to the ones who took theirs black Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here.
Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Struggle to lift five kilograms? Your health could be at risk, study finds
Article content Scientists at the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates have devised a simple test that they can say can predict an increased risk of developing a host of health problems in older adults. All you have to do is try to pick up a five-kilogram weight. Article content Struggle with that, they say, and you have a significantly higher risk of experiencing a lower quality of life, higher rates of depression, chronic lung diseases, hip fractures, joint disorders, high cholesterol, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, osteoarthritis and more. Article content Article content Article content The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports under a no-nonsense title: 'The simple task of lifting five kilograms serves as a predictor of age-related disorders in old adults.' Article content Article content The large-scale study involved 51,536 'geriatric adults' — that is to say 50 and older, a definition that may annoy some — from 14 European countries as well as Israel. It was a roughly even split between men and women, with about a third of the group aged between 60 and 69, another third between 70 and 79, and the rest younger or older. (About 4 per cent were 90 and above.) Article content Participants were asked to report if they had difficulty lifting five kilograms in 2013 — 80.5 per cent said they did not — and were then followed for several years to see which diseases developed among each group. For a given disease, participants were excluded if they already had it in the baseline year. Article content Article content Take high blood pressure. In 2013, just under 60 per cent of the group were free of a diagnosis of high blood pressure. Of those, 21.5 per cent went on to develop it. But among the participants who had trouble lifting the weight when the study began, that number amounted to 26.2 per cent. Article content Article content For hip fractures, the overwhelming majority (97 per cent) did not have one when the study started. But in the years that followed, 3.5 per cent of those who had trouble lifting the weight experienced a hip fracture, versus just 1.5 per cent of those who did not struggle with the weight. Article content Parsing the data between younger and older ages, the researchers found that men and women under 65 who had trouble lifting five kilograms were most at risk of developing depression, low quality of life, low hand-grip strength (which can also indicate risks of other diseases) and Alzheimer's.
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Sultan chairs meeting on higher education strategy
His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, chaired the second meeting of the permanent executive committee of the Sharjah Council for Higher Education and Scientific Research (SCHESR) on Tuesday morning at the University City. Sheikh Sultan welcomed the committee members and emphasised the council's role in the coming years, following his directives to correct administrative concepts, improve university governance, and implement strategic planning. The committee discussed various topics and future plans, including the council's work report, organisational structure, strategy, subcommittees, academic staff promotion and evaluation criteria, as well as research and innovation affairs. The committee also reviewed university admission conditions, the diversity of academic programmes, and main and specialised fields to ensure they meet labour market demands and students' interests. Sheikh Sultan approved the preliminary budget for the remaining period of the year, amounting to Dhs18 million, alongside endorsing the council's new logo and headquarters at the University City. He directed the committee to oversee scholarship affairs in Sharjah's higher education institutions, adopting governance frameworks and coordinating between universities and scholarship providers—governmental, semi-governmental, and private. New scholarship standards for postgraduate studies were approved, similar to those for bachelor's degrees. Sharjah students registered with the emirate and with a monthly income below Dhs50,000 will receive full scholarships, while those with higher incomes will benefit from 50% fee grants. Full scholarships will continue for groups such as children of imams and students with disabilities, funded by the Emiri Diwan. Universities and academies will offer special discounts to other categories like high achievers in academics, sports, research, and other fields. The meeting was attended by Dr Mansour Bin Nasar, Head of the Sharjah Government Legal Department and committee rapporteur; Dr. Muhadditha Al Hashemi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority; Professor Hamid Majoul Al Nuaimi, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah and Director of Sharjah Academy for Space Sciences and Astronomy; and Dr Mohammed Yousuf Baniyas, Adviser for Higher Education at Sharjah Private Education Authority. Separately, Sheikh Sultan issued an Emiri Decree regarding the transfer, promotion, and appointment of a Secretary-General for the SCHESR. According to the Decree, Dr Aisha Mohammed Obeid Boukhater Al Shamsi, Director of the Admissions and Registration Department at the University of Sharjah, is transferred to SCHESR, promoted to the rank of Director-General under the Special Jobs System in the Government of Sharjah, and appointed as Secretary-General of the Council. Recently, Sheikh Sultan emphasised the significant role of universities in advancing society. He highlighted the importance of the SCHESR, which was established specifically to assist universities and academies in the emirate in continuing the journey of higher education, which began in 1997 with the establishment of the University of Sharjah and the American University of Sharjah. The Council continues to provide the best sciences to its students, based on the latest educational and pedagogical curricula. Sheikh Sultan spoke about various important issues concerning universities and academic institutions. He emphasised how closely he monitors all aspects of higher education because he believes that science plays a crucial role in the lives of individuals and society as a whole. The Ruler of Sharjah pointed out that science is a double-edged sword; while it has the power to create and improve, it can also be used in harmful ways. Sheikh Sultan emphasised the importance of setting up academic institutions the right way from the very beginning. He reflected on how universities were first established in Sharjah, highlighting the need for skilled professionals to guide this process, which enables these institutions to start strong. Sheikh Sultan pointed out that each university follows a high-quality educational curriculum developed in partnership with some of the best universities worldwide. WAM
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
The 2-second at-home test that can reveal your risk of 8 nasty conditions – including killer stroke and Alzheimer's
A TEST you can do at home in matter of seconds - with a bag of sugar, an air fryer or even a pet - could reveal your risk eight diseases. Do you have difficulty picking up an object weighing 5 kilograms after a certain age? Advertisement 1 Declining muscle strength is linked to a higher risk of dementia or stroke Credit: Getty If so, you run the risk of developing conditions such as chronic lung disease, arthritis, stroke and Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers from the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. As we get older, our muscles naturally weaken. Muscle and But the current tools used by doctors can be expensive, meaning only clinics can afford them. Advertisement Read more on Alzheimer's Researchers set out find a simpler and more accessible method of assessing muscle strength without the use of specialised tools - finding that objects lying around at home can also be reliable indicators. Professor Rizwan Qaisar, the study's first author, said: "Imagine you're at home, and you pick up a bag of groceries, maybe something that weighs about 5 kg - like a big bag of sugar or a small kitchen appliance. "If you find yourself struggling with that, it might seem like a small thing, but our research shows it could be a really important clue about your health." Scientists conducted their investigation using data from 51,536 adults from 15 countries who were aged 50 and older. Advertisement Most read in Health "We tracked them over time to see if their ability to lift 5 kg was connected to developing various health conditions in the future . What we found was quite significant," Prof Qaisar said. "People who reported difficulty lifting 5 kg had a significantly higher risk of experiencing a lower quality of life, higher rates of depression, chronic lung diseases, hip fractures, joint disorders, 10 second one leg stand test "Interestingly, this connection held regardless of their age or gender. "Our findings strongly suggest that this simple, everyday test could be a valuable early indicator of overall health and potential future health challenges." Advertisement Researchers conducted their study over a five year period. Participants were asked to report if they had any difficulty doing various everyday activities at the outset of the study, as well their age, gender and country of residence. Those who had one of the diseases in question at the start of the study were excluded from analysis. One of the activities was 'lifting or carrying weights over 5 kilos', which became the central point of the researchers' analysis. Advertisement "The 5kg threshold was selected due to its relevance to everyday household objects, such as a standard bag of sugar or all-purpose flour, an average house cat, an air fryer, a portable slow cooker, and the cast iron Dutch oven," they wrote. "Thus, the study provides a practical and accessible measure of muscle strength and overall health within the domestic environment." Ways to improve your strength A strength exercise is any activity that makes your muscles work harder than usual. This increases your muscles' strength, size, power and endurance. The activities involve using your body weight or working against a resistance. You should try to do two sessions or more of muscle strengthening exercises a week. Examples of muscle-strengthening activities include: Lifting weights Working with resistance bands Heavy gardening, such as digging and shovelling Climbing stairs Hill walking Cycling Dance Push-ups, sit-ups and squats Yoga Source: Study participants were also asked to fill out a quality of life questionnaire - which included such as 'how often do you think your age prevents you from doing the things you would like to do?' - and had symptoms of depression assessed too. From the 51,536 respondents, 10,025 (19.5 per cent) had difficulty lifting 5kg at the start of the study. Advertisement Over the follow-up period, researchers found that people who had difficulty picking up 5kg objects had a higher risk of reporting a low quality of life (9 per cent), depression (8 per cent) and osteoarthritis (7 per cent). They also had a mild to moderate risks of having "rheumatoid arthritis, heart attack, diabetes mellitus, Study authors found that women had a higher risk of various diseases than men. They said muscle weakness could be indicative of several things. Advertisement "First, muscle weakness in these participants suggests a sedentary lifestyle and low physical activity, which are risk factors for several diseases reported here. "For example, a sedentary lifestyle is associated with higher risks of depression, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and neurological deficits. "Participants with difficulty lifting 5kg will likely exhibit muscle wasting," they went on. "Muscle mass is a significant protein reserve that protects against organ degeneration due to trauma, diseases, and/or ageing. Thus, a low muscle mass in the participants with difficulty lifting 5kg of weight can predispose them to develop chronic diseases." Advertisement Finally, muscle weakness could be connected to inflammation. "It is also established that chronic low-grade inflammation can cause and/or exacerbate various cardiovascular, neurological, and metabolic disorders reported in this study," researchers stated. Study co-author Dr Fabio Franzese from SHARE Berlin Institute in Germany, said: "Muscle weakness isn't just a sign of ageing; it's a profound warning for future disease." That's why the "simple act" of trying pick up 5kg with "no fancy equipment" can be "a powerful health predictor". Advertisement "Our findings put early health assessment in everyone's hands," he said. Prof Qaisar added: "Before major illness, there's often a subtle struggle. This test offers a crucial window for intervention. " The test empowers people to seek early medical advice, motivates healthier lifestyle choices, and offers health care providers a valuable preliminary screening tool to identify at-risk individuals, ultimately improving preventive care and public health outreach for older populations."
Sharjah 24
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sharjah 24
Sharjah Ruler appoints Secretary-General of SCHESR
According to the decree, Her Excellency Dr Aisha Mohammed Obeid Boukhater Al Shamsi — Director of the Admissions and Registration Department at the University of Sharjah — is transferred to the Sharjah Council for Higher Education and Scientific Research (SCHESR) , promoted to the rank of Director General under the Special Jobs System in the Government of Sharjah, and appointed as Secretary-General of the Council.
