A team of investigators with the University of Florida Institute for Driving, Activity, Participation and Technology at the College of Public Health and Health Professions, has received a grant to study the effects of a dietary supplement known as fermented papaya product, or FPP, on the driving performance of older adults.
“While FPP shows promise as a functional food supplement for promoting health and wellness, its potential impact on driving performance is yet to be assessed — until now,” said the study’s lead investigator Sherrilene Classen, Ph.D., M.P.H., OTR/L, FAOTA, director of the Institute for Driving, Activity, Participation and Technology and chair of the department of occupational therapy.
The new study is supported by a grant from a Japanese research organization Osato Research Institute. In addition to Classen, team members from the department of occupational therapy include Hongwu Wang, Ph.D., an assistant professor; Jason Rogers, an IT analyst and driving simulator lab manager; Beth Gibson, OTR/L, CDRS, an instructional assistant professor and manager of UF SmartDriver; Sandra Winter, Ph.D., OTR/L, a research assistant scientist and driver rehabilitation therapist; and Seung-Woo Hwangbo, a doctoral student in rehabilitation science.
The study will assess driving performance using a high-fidelity driving simulator housed at UF SmartDriver, where driver rehabilitation specialists offer assessments and driving rehabilitation interventions that may enable older adults to stay on the road longer and safer.
Specialized rehabilitation interventions, however, are expensive, require out-of-pocket payment and are not widely available throughout the U.S., Classen said. That’s why she and her team are exploring alternative strategies for enhancing driving performance among older adults that could be more accessible and cost effective.
The new study is believed to be the first in the U.S. and beyond, to investigate the use of a dietary supplement on driving performance. A 2022 review of published studies on the effects of FPP in humans found that the supplement is an excellent addition to combined therapies for several conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity, and anemias.
“Our goal with all our work is to keep older adults on the road longer and safer,” Classen said.