Perspective: prolonged crises and stress-related metabolic ageing in older adults, with Ukraine as an example
This Perspective argues that prolonged crises such as war can expose older adults to chronic stress and related disadvantages and may affect stress- and ageing-related biological pathways, linking maladaptive stress responses to abdominal obesity, sarcopenic obesity, frailty and functional decline. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
Prolonged crises expose older adults to chronic psychological and social stress, irregular nutrition, reduced physical activity, reduced access to health care and interruptions in treatment of chronic disease. [1]
Under prolonged crisis conditions, maladaptive stress responses may be linked to abdominal obesity, sarcopenic obesity, physical frailty and functional decline. [1]
The authors propose that a biologically informed framework for healthy ageing should incorporate mental health assessment, metabolic screening, nutritional assessment, muscle function and rehabilitation rather than address these in isolation. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Perspective (abstract only)
- Population / context
- Older adults during prolonged crises, with Ukraine as an example
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- September 3, 2026
Crisis exposures named for older adults
The Perspective states that prolonged crises expose older adults to chronic psychological and social stress, irregular nutrition, reduced physical activity, reduced access to health care and interruptions in treatment of chronic disease. Together, the text says, these factors can compound age-related vulnerabilities and increase the risk of metabolic deterioration, multimorbidity and functional decline. The authors argue that prolonged crises should be seen not only as social or psychological events but also as conditions that may affect stress-related and ageing-related biological pathways.
Supporting source [1]
Proposed pathways from maladaptive stress to frailty
The text notes that severe or prolonged stress can make stress responses maladaptive and contribute to physiological dysregulation. Under prolonged crisis conditions, such maladaptive responses may be linked to abdominal obesity, sarcopenic obesity, physical frailty and functional decline. The proposed mechanisms listed are chronic activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, altered glucocorticoid signalling, sleep disturbance, inflammation, cellular senescence and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype, immunometabolic dysregulation, adipose tissue inflammation, insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction and anabolic resistance in skeletal muscle. These are described as possible links, not demonstrated causes.
Supporting source [1]
Ukraine example and proposed assessment framework
Ukraine is presented as a timely example of this broader problem, because prolonged war, population ageing, non-communicable diseases, displacement, mental health needs and new screening initiatives now intersect there. The authors propose that a biologically informed framework for healthy ageing should incorporate mental health assessment, metabolic screening, nutritional assessment, muscle function and rehabilitation rather than address these in isolation. They state that functional ability reflects the combined effects of psychological stress, metabolic ageing, muscle loss, multimorbidity and changes in the living environment, and should be considered a key indicator for older adults during and after prolonged crises.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
This is a Perspective based on the abstract; the full text was not reviewed. It presents proposed arguments and possible mechanisms rather than new measurements, and the described links are not shown to be causal.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Lushchak O, Strilbytska O, Petakh P, Kamyshnyi O. · europepmc.org · September 3, 2026