Older adults 'guess weights inaccurately'

New research has found that as adults grow older, their ability to accurately guess the weight of objects is impaired.

A study conducted by Jessica Holmin and Farley Norman from North Dakota State University and Western Kentucky University published in the open access journal PLOS ONE showed older adults could not identify the weights of objects as well as younger individuals.

Previous research had suggested growing older is frequently associated with a decrease in muscle mass and consequently strength, which makes objects harder to lift.

But the new report notes that "the older adults were much farther off the mark than the younger group, consistently estimating the weight ratios as much higher than they actually were".

Earlier in the week, the UK's government called for improvements to be made in the care of long-term conditions.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt stated that the primary aim of the coalition is to ensure patients are put first.

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