2. Development in
Middle Adulthood
• Middle adulthood is usually defined as the ages of 40 to 60 or 65.The
most obvious changes associated with middle years are physical
3. Physical abilities peak in early
adulthood
Changes in capabilities include:
sensation
motor skills and reaction time
internal changes
After age 55, bones become less
dense and ultimately women lose 2
inches and men lose 1 inch in height.
4. Both men and women continue to
gain weight in middle adulthood.
The amount of body fat increases.
Throughout middle adulthood,
strength gradually decreases.
This is particularly so in the back
and leg muscles.
By age 60, people have lost about 10
percent of their maximum strength.
5. Physical
Changes
Climacteric: Loss of reproductive
capacity
In women, the most dramatic aspect
is menopause.
Menopause involves:
physical changes and symptoms
emotional effects
Menopause typically occurs between
ages of 45 and 55
Some women take hormone
replacement therapy (HRT) to deal
with symptoms
Male hormones decline gradually in
middle age
Men may suffer erectile dysfunction
6. Cognitive Changes
Cognitive processing less selective and
react slower to cognitive tasks
Less ability to control attention inhibits
responses to irrelevant stimuli
Sensory stimuli processed differently
Subjective experience of forgetfulness
7. Disease and Health
As people age, they become more vulnerable to disease
Most deaths in middle age are from cancer and heart attacks
Women are generally more healthy than men
Poor habits-especially smoking and over eating-take their
toll in middle age
Smoking, Alcohol, and Obesity
Nearly 25% of adults smoke
Smoking is responsible for more than 25% of all deaths
among people ages 35 to 64
Alcohol consumption is the third-leading cause of
preventable death
Today, 65% of U.S. adults are overweight or obese
8. Stress and Health
Stress is a normal part of life, but excessive stress plays a role
in many diseases of middle adulthood
Extreme or prolonged stress weakens the immune system
Adults who live in poverty or who are members of
disadvantaged minority groups have higher stress levels,
poorer health and earlier death
