University Times

Pitt is recruiting 1,500 participants for an eight-year multi-center study of the impact of strength, weight and health on daily living activities of older people. The observational study Health and Body Changes (Health ABC) will be one of the largest National Institute of Aging (NIA) studies in 20 years.

It also will be the first study to examine detailed changes in the health of a large group of older African Americans.

Progressive loss of muscle mass, or sarcopenia, is thought to be a probable pathway by which multiple diseases contribute to reduced independence.

"The Health ABC study will characterize the extent of sarcopenia in older men and women, identify clinical conditions that accelerate the loss of muscle and examine the health impact of sarcopenia on strength, endurance, disability and disease of old age," said Anne Newman, associate professor of geriatric medicine.

The study will track the incidence and prevalence of major diseases such as heart disease, osteoarthritis and cancer.

Newman is the principal investigator. Other Pitt faculty involved include Lewis Kuller, Jane Culey and Toni Miles, epidemiology; Rena Wing, psychiatry, psychology and epidemiology; Richard Schultz, sociology, psychology and psychiatry.

Information on the study is available by calling 624-6926.