The Muscle Mag
Lina Chan, director of women’s health at retail giant Holland & Barrett, highlighted during the webinar that despite having a longer life expectancy, women are more likely to experience prolonged periods of ill-health compared to men.
“We need to shift women towards a more proactive approach to health and the key is to start educating them at a younger age,” she emphasized.
Chan pointed out, “If we consider the major causes of death for women, they include cardiovascular disease, dementia, falling and fracturing a femur, which are all conditions that could potentially be prevented with early engagement of women.”
Bone health
Sharon Madigan PhD, head of performance nutrition at the Sport Ireland Institute, expressed concerns about athletes lacking access to specialized knowledge and receiving inadequate advice from medical professionals.
Madigan stated, “There is a concern that when females seek help, they are often prescribed the oral contraceptive pill (OCP) by their GP, which may not address the underlying issues. There is a need for broader education on medications, as OCPs might mask symptoms.”
She further explained that during the pandemic, increased training without a corresponding increase in calorie intake due to misinformation about calories and carbohydrates has led to more injuries among athletes.
Marit Veenstra, communication and innovation strategist at Healthy Marketing Team, pointed out the opportunity for companies to address joint health concerns among women.
Communication and personalization
Veenstra emphasized the importance of brands highlighting scientific research to build trust with consumers and ensure they understand the products they choose.
Chan highlighted breaking taboos around women’s health and stressed the need for personalized approaches due to the individual nature of hormonal fluctuations.
Veenstra criticized brands for treating women as a single group and emphasized the necessity of tailored communication for better engagement.
Gut health
Emily Prpa PhD, science manager at Yakult UK & Ireland, noted the limited research on women’s health and gut health and emphasized the importance of understanding the impact of gut microbiome changes throughout a woman’s life.
She highlighted the link between gut dysbiosis and inflammation with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and endometriosis, which are more common in women.
Madigan highlighted the need for more research on female athletes to improve understanding of women’s health.
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