[Harumanbo Harucheonja] "Walking to Strengthen 'Naejae Yeokryang' is Very Important for Elderly Health"

Jeong Heewon, Professor of Geriatrics at Seoul Asan Hospital
Slight Discomfort Leading to Long-lasting Comfort
"Not Adding but 'Subtracting'"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo]"To maintain a healthy old age, it is essential to manage 'intrinsic capacity.' Failure to properly manage intrinsic capacity triggers an accelerated aging cycle that hastens biological aging. This is why walking in daily life is important."

Aging is a natural process. Everyone grows older. However, the speed varies from person to person. Nowadays, living a long and healthy life is crucial. Professor Jung Hee-won of the Geriatrics Department at Seoul Asan Medical Center emphasizes the concept of 'intrinsic capacity.' The World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the importance of intrinsic capacity in 2017, stating that multiple aspects of life must be managed comprehensively to age healthily. Intrinsic capacity is a concept that scores physical, mental, and social functional elements comprehensively. It considers not only visible health indicators such as the presence of diseases, blood pressure, and exercise time but also invisible factors like adequate rest, mindfulness, life goals, and self-efficacy. Professor Jung said, "Consistently managing intrinsic capacity is important for a healthy old age," adding, "Enduring slight discomfort can allow one to enjoy comfort for a long time."

Unfortunately, intrinsic capacity in South Korea is not considered high. Objective indicators prove this. About 73% of the population aged 65 and older suffer from two or more chronic diseases and take an average of 4.1 types of medication. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, global life expectancy has decreased, and domestic statistics show that health indicators among young adults, including body mass index and problematic drinking, have noticeably worsened over the past few years. This means that more people are experiencing accelerated aging. Professor Jung said, "When treating patients at the hospital, some in their 30s and 40s appear physically and mentally much older than their age," diagnosing, "While genetic factors play a role in chronic diseases, they are mostly the result of accumulated aging over a lifetime." He added, "A person's values and lifestyle create patterns of chronic diseases and pain, which also affect healthy life expectancy."

If intrinsic capacity is not properly managed, biological aging is accelerated. When biological aging is hastened, managing intrinsic capacity becomes even more difficult. This vicious cycle cannot be resolved by addressing a single cause. It continues to have secondary and tertiary effects. This is why Professor Jung recently published . The book aims to help many people escape the vicious cycle of accelerated aging. Professor Jung explained, "Understanding the principle of the vicious cycle and weakening its links through effort is necessary," adding, "The starting point is managing intrinsic capacity."

Professor Jeong Heewon, Department of Geriatrics, Asan Medical Center, Seoul. [Photo by Asan Medical Center, Seoul]

Is there a way to delay aging? Along with strengthening intrinsic capacity, Professor Jung emphasizes 'subtracting rather than adding.' He said, "Not only should stress be reduced, but also health supplements taken for health and auxiliary devices used for convenience should be reduced, as this can benefit the body," adding, "Changing values that pursue short-term comfort dulls the stimuli that encourage consumption, and by broadening one's perspective to develop intrinsic capacity, one can firmly protect oneself."

Walking can be a simple and fundamental starting point to strengthen intrinsic capacity. Professor Jung said, "Walking in daily life plays a very important role in elderly health," and advised, "It delays aging by enhancing intrinsic capacity. It is important to make walking a habit before entering old age to manage it in advance." While setting aside time to walk is necessary, it is also important to incorporate movement into daily life, such as using public transportation instead of taxis and taking stairs instead of elevators. Professor Jung said, "Through the '10,000 steps a day, 1,000 characters a day' campaign, I hope many readers will not be intimidated by the number 10,000 steps and gradually make walking a daily habit."

Professor Jung graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine and obtained his specialist certification at Seoul National University Hospital. During medical school, while practicing the horn, he realized the importance of muscle maintenance and began to take an interest in sarcopenia. Later, during internal medicine rotations, he developed an interest in geriatrics and researched frailty during his residency. He then entered the Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering at KAIST and earned a Ph.D. Aging is a biological process referring to the rate at which the structure and function of living organisms change over time. The speed of aging varies among individuals, and the accumulated degree of this aging process manifests as frailty. Major symptoms of frailty include weight loss, muscle weakness, emotional exhaustion, decreased walking speed, and reduced physical activity.