Grant: Summer Program in Aging

An important consequence of climate change in a greater occurrence of hot weather that is associated with health risks. Heat strain is the body's physiological response to heat exposure and includes increased body temperature, increased heart rate, and dehydration from sweating. Heat strain is what causes people to feel sick or potentially die during periods of extremely hot weather. This project aims to test the hypothesis that advanced age, the presence of risk factors and chronic diseases, and medication use are associated with increased body temperature, accelerated heart rate, and dehydration levels when exposed to extreme heat. We will recruit 636 participants, aged 40 years or older, who will be exposed to humid heat (38°C, 60% humidity) for 4 hours in an environmental chamber. Each hour includes 10 minutes of light exercise simulating activities of daily living. Throughout heat exposure, physiological responses, including heart rate, body temperature, and dehydration are measured. The results will allow us to: 1) identify populations most at risk of health effects during extremely hot weather; 2) understand how heat is dangerous for health; and/or 3) recommend strategies that minimize the health risks caused by hot weather.