**2.4 Research mortality**

*Occupational Wellbeing*

diabetes.

**2.1 Research sarcopenia**

**2.2 Research inflammation**

immune system [9].

**2.3 Research cancer**

related to muscle mass, strength and metabolic syndrome. Wolfe focused on the importance of muscle protein and the pool of amino acids in maintaining a relatively constant plasma glucose concentration. He also discussed the role muscle plays in obesity and Type II diabetes. Argiles and associates in 2016 supports Wolfe's research on the importance of muscle regulating protein metabolism throughout the body [4]. Both of these studies strongly support maintaining a healthy and strong muscle mass throughout one's lifespan especially to prevent sarcopenia and certain diseases. This was further emphasized by Mrowka and Westphal in their article on "skeletal muscle in the fight against chronic disease" published in 2018 [5]. DeCarvalho and associates showed an inverse relationship between skeletal muscle mass adjusted for weight and BMI with metabolic syndrome in both males and females [2]. Their study researched 689 adults between the ages of 20–59. Mesinovic and associates discussed the connection between sarcopenia and Type II diabetes [10]. The loss of muscle alters glucose uptake in the muscle leading to more glucose in the blood which increases the risk of Type II

Sarcopenia is a critical concern not just because of the loss of muscle and its ability to fight disease and infection, but because the individual is at greater risk for slips, falls and injury [4, 11–16]. If not remedied, the loss of muscle can lead to a frail state which can be fatal [4]. Every day functionality and daily activities become more difficult to perform with the loss of muscle. Muscle protein breaks down and rebuilds daily. Sarcopenia can start as early age of 25 and accelerates after age 60 years and sometimes sooner. The inability to rebuild muscle protein as the body ages contributes to sarcopenia. It should be noted that as the body loses muscle, the loss of muscle strength (dynapenia) occurs more rapidly. It also should be noted

Inflammation is associated with most chronic diseases [8, 9, 17]. There is compelling evidence that shows physical activity to include strength training offers a defense to chronic diseases. David Nieman discussed the link between physical activity and the body's immune system [9]. While there is compelling evidence to suggest that physical exercise will enhance the body's immune system, there is also evidence that suggests lengthy, intense workout sessions might be harmful to the body's immune system. Nieman suggests physical activity workouts should be no more than 60-minutes at a moderate-vigorous intensity to safely enhance the

One area of research that has increased dramatically focuses on muscle mass and strength related to cancer treatment and prevention [18–28]. Caan and associates in 2018 showed that women with non-metastatic breast cancer had 41% better chance of surviving with a healthier muscle mass compared to sarcopenic non-metastatic breast cancer patients [18]. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has published research showing the impact physical activity has in lowering the risk of at least 7 different cancers and increasing survivability [22–24, 26, 27]. ACSM recommends a variety of physical activities to include resistance training (strength), aerobic and balance with options for light, moderate or vigorous intensity. The

that obese individuals are at greater risk for sarcopenia.

**98**

There is evidence demonstrating muscular strength as a predictor of mortality in a healthy population [29–34]. A meta-analysis by Garcia-Hermosa and colleagues show that individuals with good upper body and lower body strength have lower risk of mortality regardless of age [29]. ACSM has published numerous research studies demonstrating the effectiveness of resistance training on health for individuals from 15 to 90 plus years old [22–24, 26, 27]. Moberg recently published data about the significance of a "muscle memory" found in each myonucleous [30]. This study focused on how much impact does resistance training when done earlier in life has on muscle later in life. It appears that if resistance training was done earlier in life that your muscle will *retrain faster* in terms of regaining strength compared to if you are just beginning. The research is new and so there are many unanswered questions such as how much faster will strength return, will it return to previous strength levels and how long does the "muscle memory" retain previous strength levels? But the research also shows that it is never too late in life to reap the benefits of resistance training. Research shows the human body is able increase strength levels at any age – even those individuals in their 80's and 90's [22–24, 26, 27]. This is extremely important in preventing sarcopenia which can lead to frailty as well as cachexia which occurs with some diseases such as cancer [4, 28].
