Eating your way to a successful old age, with special reference to older women.

A comprehensive definition of successful ageing would combine the elements of survival (longevity), health (lack of disability), and life satisfaction (happiness). Predictors of longevity include being female, being physically active, not smoking, having good cognitive functioning, higher socio-economic status and greater life satisfaction. Predictors of life satisfaction include being healthy (which is in part influenced by nutrition and physical activity), being socially active, having work satisfaction, having a high happiness rating and enjoying sexual activity. To age successfully is therefore the ultimate challenge. This paper cannot address all variables in the equation to successful ageing, but will focus on the value of food and physical activity in later life.