Moving prevention of functional impairment upstream: is middle age an ideal time for intervention?

Activity limitations, use of assistive devices, and mortality and clinical events in 25 high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: an analysis of the PURE study

BACKGROUND

The focus of most epidemiological studies has been mortality or clinical events, with less information on activity limitations related to basic daily functions and their consequences. Standardised data from multiple countries at different economic levels in different regions of the world on activity limitations and their associations with clinical outcomes are sparse. We aimed to quantify the prevalence of activity limitations and use of assistive devices and the association of limitations with adverse outcomes in 25 countries grouped by different economic levels.

METHODS

In this analysis, we obtained data from individuals in 25 high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study (175 660 participants). In the PURE study, individuals aged 35-70 years who intended to continue living in their current home for a further 4 years were invited to complete a questionnaire on activity limitations. Participant follow-up was planned once every 3 years either by telephone or in person. The activity limitation screen consisted of questions on self-reported difficulty with walking, grasping, bending, seeing close, seeing far, speaking, hearing, and use of assistive devices (gait, vision, and hearing aids). We estimated crude prevalence of self-reported activity limitations and use of assistive devices, and prevalence standardised by age and sex. We used logistic regression to additionally adjust prevalence for education and socioeconomic factors and to estimate the probability of activity limitations and assistive devices by age, sex, and country income. We used Cox frailty models to evaluate the association between each activity limitation with mortality and clinical events (cardiovascular disease, heart failure, pneumonia, falls, and cancer). The PURE study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03225586.

FINDINGS

Between Jan 12, 2001, and May 6, 2019, 175 584 individuals completed at least one question on the activity limitation questionnaire (mean age 50·6 years [SD 9·8]; 103 625 [59%] women). Of the individuals who completed all questions, mean follow-up was 10·7 years (SD 4·4). The most common self-reported activity limitations were difficulty with bending (23 921 [13·6%] of 175 515 participants), seeing close (22 532 [13·4%] of 167 801 participants), and walking (22 805 [13·0%] of 175 554 participants); prevalence of limitations was higher with older age and among women. The prevalence of all limitations standardised by age and sex, with the exception of hearing, was highest in low-income countries and middle-income countries, and this remained consistent after adjustment for socioeconomic factors. The use of gait, visual, and hearing aids was lowest in low-income countries and middle-income countries, particularly among women. The prevalence of seeing close limitation was four times higher (6257 [16·5%] of 37 926 participants vs 717 [4·0%] of 18 039 participants) and the prevalence of seeing far limitation was five times higher (4003 [10·6%] of 37 923 participants vs 391 [2·2%] of 18 038 participants) in low-income countries than in high-income countries, but the prevalence of glasses use in low-income countries was half that in high-income countries. Walking limitation was most strongly associated with mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 1·32 [95% CI 1·25-1·39]) and most consistently associated with other clinical events, with other notable associations observed between seeing far limitation and mortality, grasping limitation and cardiovascular disease, bending limitation and falls, and between speaking limitation and stroke.

INTERPRETATION

The global prevalence of activity limitations is substantially higher in women than men and in low-income countries and middle-income countries compared with high-income countries, coupled with a much lower use of gait, visual, and hearing aids. Strategies are needed to prevent and mitigate activity limitations globally, with particular emphasis on low-income countries and women.

FUNDING

Funding sources are listed at the end of the Article.

Cross-sectional associations between patterns and composition of upright and stepping events with physical function: insights from The Maastricht Study

INTRODUCTION

Age-related declines in physical functioning have significant implications for health in later life. Physical activity (PA) volume is associated with physical function, but the importance of the pattern in which PA is accumulated is unclear. This study investigates associations between accelerometer-determined daily PA patterns, including composition and temporal distribution (burstiness) of upright and stepping events, with physical function.

METHODS

Data was from participants who wore an activPAL3 accelerometer as part of The Maastricht Study. Exposures included a suite of metrics describing the composition and the temporal distribution (burstiness) of upright and sedentary behaviour. Physical function outcomes included the six-minute walk test (6MWT), timed chair-stand test (TCST), grip strength (GS), and SF-36 physical functioning sub-scale (SF-36pf). Multivariable linear regression models were used to assess associations, adjusting for covariates including overall PA volume (daily step count).

RESULTS

Participants(n = 6085) had 6 or 7 days of valid data. Upright and stepping event metrics were associated with physical function outcomes, even after adjusting PA volume. Higher sedentary burstiness was associated with better function (6MWT, TCST, and SF-36pf), as was duration and step volume of stepping events (6MWT, TCST, GS, and SF-36pf), step-weighted cadence (6MWT, TCST, and SF-36pf). Number of stepping events was associated with poorer function (6MWT, GS, and SF-36pf), as was upright event burstiness (SF-36pf). Associations varied according to sex.

CONCLUSION

Our study reveals that diverse patterns of physical activity accumulation exhibit distinct associations with various measures of physical function, irrespective of the overall volume. Subsequent investigations should employ longitudinal and experimental studies to examine how changing patterns of physical activity may affect physical function, and other health outcomes.

The 'middle-aging' brain

Middle age has historically been an understudied period of life compared to older age, when cognitive and brain health decline are most pronounced, but the scope for intervention may be limited. However, recent research suggests that middle age could mark a shift in brain aging. We review emerging evidence on multiple levels of analysis indicating that midlife is a period defined by unique central and peripheral processes that shape future cognitive trajectories and brain health. Informed by recent developments in aging research and lifespan studies in humans and animal models, we highlight the utility of modeling non-linear changes in study samples with wide subject age ranges to distinguish life stage-specific processes from those acting linearly throughout the lifespan.

Does Old Age Comprise Distinct Subphases? Evidence from an Analysis of the Relationship between Age and Activities of Daily Living, Comorbidities, and Geriatric Syndromes

BACKGROUND

Older individuals are usually treated as a homogenous group despite evidence that old age consists of distinct subphases. This observational study including 493 older patients aimed to identify differences among age subgroups of older persons. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was then applied to identify the optimal age cutoff points to distinguish those age groups.

METHODS

Data were collected on the demographics of older patients, their medical and medication histories, dependence on activities of daily living (ADLs), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Non-parametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests) and ROC curves were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The 65-79 and ≥80 years of age groups showed distinct frailty status, comorbidity, and dependency in ADLs. The median age to remain completely independent in IADLs was 76-79 years, while the median age for being free from geriatric syndromes was slightly higher (77-80 years) and reached 82 years for the absence of delirium, falls, and swallowing problems. In the ROC analysis, the optimal cutoff ages for the presence of frailty, cognitive impairment, and dependency in ADLs were 80-82 years.

CONCLUSION

The 65-79 and ≥80 years of age groups differed significantly in numerous parameters, underscoring the need to address these distinct age groups differently, both for applying medical therapies and interventions, as well as for conducting health research.

Norms for Usual and Fast Walking Speed in Adults 45-69 Years Old From the French General Population: Constances Study

OBJECTIVES

Walking speed (WS) represents an objective measure of motor function and health. We aimed to develop usual (UWS) and fast WS (FWS) norms for the general population using a regression-based approach, while considering age, sex, height, and education.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis of a population-based study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

French Constances study (45-69 years).

METHODS

UWS/FWS were measured over 3 m (dynamic start) using photoelectric cells. We addressed selection effects (related to survey sampling and nonresponse) and missing data using a combination of inverse probability weighting (IPW) and multiple imputation (MI). Norms by sex, age, height, and education (

RESULTS

Analyses are based on 44,772 participants (51.2% women) with a mean age of 56.8 years (SE = 0.2) for women and 57.3 years (SE = 0.2) for men, and a mean height of 161.4 cm (SE = 0.1) for women and 174.2 cm (SE = 0.1) for men after IPW/MI. WS estimates decreased after IPW/MI. The mean UWS was 116.9 cm/s (SE = 0.8) in women and 120.7 cm/s (SE = 0.8) in men, and the mean FWS was 168.7 cm/s (SE = 1.0) in women and 182.8 cm/s (SE = 1.2) in men. In the multiadjusted model, UWS/FWS decreased with age and increased with height and education. Men had faster FWS than women; they had slightly slower UWS than women in the low-education group, but there were no sex differences in the high-education group.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

We developed UWS/FWS norms by age, sex, height, and education for the French general population (45-69 years) that are available through a web app (https://cesp-proxy2.vjf.inserm.fr/NORMES-VM-EN/). These norms can be used to identify in midlife persons with lower motor performances than the general population, given their age, sex, height, and education, who are at higher risk of adverse outcomes.

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Key Words

• Walking speed
• aging
• population
• reference values
• selection bias

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MESH Headings

• Male
• Adult
• Humans
• Female
• Middle Aged
• Aged
• Walking Speed
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Linear Models
• Walking/physiology

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Affiliation(s)

Félicia Santos Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, Gustave Roussy, CESP, 94805, Villejuif, France
Adeline Renuy Inserm, Université Paris Cité, Université Paris Saclay, Université de Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), UMS 011 « Population-based cohorts unit », Villejuif, France
Anna Ozguler Inserm, Université Paris Cité, Université Paris Saclay, Université de Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), UMS 011 « Population-based cohorts unit », Villejuif, France
Céline Ribet Inserm, Université Paris Cité, Université Paris Saclay, Université de Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), UMS 011 « Population-based cohorts unit », Villejuif, France
Marcel Goldberg Inserm, Université Paris Cité, Université Paris Saclay, Université de Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), UMS 011 « Population-based cohorts unit », Villejuif, France
Marie Zins Inserm, Université Paris Cité, Université Paris Saclay, Université de Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), UMS 011 « Population-based cohorts unit », Villejuif, France
Fanny Artaud Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, Gustave Roussy, CESP, 94805, Villejuif, France
Alexis Elbaz Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, Gustave Roussy, CESP, 94805, Villejuif, France.

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"It Makes You Feel Alive and Younger…but It's Stressful …My Back and Legs Ache": A Focus Group Study Encouraging Resistance Training Around Retirement

Muscle weakness is a key component of age-related conditions such as sarcopenia and frailty. Resistance training is highly effective at preventing and treating muscle weakness; however, few adults meet recommended levels. Retirement may be a key life-stage to promote resistance training. We carried out a virtual focus group study to explore motivators and barriers to resistance training around the time of retirement, with the aim of determining strategies and messages to increase its uptake. The five focus groups (n = 30) were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. We found that resistance training was positively viewed when associated with immediate and long-term health and wellbeing benefits and had a social dimension; but there was a lack of understanding as to what constitutes resistance training, the required intensity level for effects; the role of pain; and the consequences of muscle weakness.

Effects of Physical Activity Interventions on Strength, Balance and Falls in Middle-Aged Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Weak lower body strength and balance impairments are fundamental risk factors for mobility impairments and falls that can be improved by physical activity (PA). Previous meta-analyses have focused on these risk factors in adults aged ≥ 65 years. Yet, the potential of PA for improving these risk factors in middle-aged populations has not been systematically investigated. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to examine the effect of general and structured PA on lower limb strength, postural balance and falls in middle-aged adults.

METHODS

A computerized systematic literature search was conducted in the electronic databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. PA intervention types were classified according to the ProFaNE taxonomy. Randomized controlled trials exploring the effects of PA on strength (e.g., leg press one-repetition-maximum), balance (e.g., single limb stance) and falls (e.g., fall rates) in adults aged 40-60 years were systematically searched and included in a network analysis. Moderator analyses were performed for specific subgroups (age, sex, low PA). The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) Scale.

RESULTS

Out of 7170 articles screened, 66 studies (median PEDro score 5) with 3387 participants were included. Strong, significant effects on muscle strength were found for strength (SMD = 1.02), strength-aerobic (SMD = 1.41), strength-endurance (SMD = 0.92) and water-based (SMD = 1.08) training (52 studies, I² = 79.3%). Strength training (SMD = 1.16), strength-aerobic (SMD = 0.98) and 3D training (SMD = 1.31) improved postural balance (30 studies, I² = 88.1%). Moderator analyses revealed significant effects of specific intervention types on certain subgroups and subdomains of strength and balance. No studies were found measuring falls.

CONCLUSIONS

Structured PA interventions in middle-aged adults improve strength and balance outcomes related to functional impairments and falls. Strength training increases both strength and balance and can be recommended to prevent age-related functional decline. However, the interpretability of the results is limited due to considerable heterogeneity and the overall low methodological quality of the included studies. Long-term trials are needed to determine the preventive potential of PA on strength, balance and falls. This meta-analysis may inform guidelines for tailored training during middle age to promote healthy aging. Prospero registration: CRD42020218643.

Association between impairment and self-rated heath: a brazilian population study considering type, origin, and degree of limitation

BACKGROUND

Perceived health is a well-known, low-cost measure in public health, and has been used in several studies on individuals with impairment. Although many studies have related impairment to self-rated health (SRH), few have considered the origin and degree of limitation of the impairment. This study examined whether physical, hearing, or visual impairments-when analyzed according to origin (congenital or acquired) and degree of limitation (with or without)-are associated with the SRH status.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used data of 43,681 adult individuals from the Brazilian National Health Survey (NHS, 2013). The outcome SRH was dichotomized into poor (including the regular, poor, and very poor responses) or good (including the good and very good responses). Crude and adjusted (for socio-demographic characteristics and chronic diseases history) prevalence ratios (PR) estimates were evaluated using Poisson regression models with the robust variance estimator.

RESULTS

Poor SRH prevalence was estimated at 31.8% (95%CI:31.0-33.0) among the non-impaired population, 65.6% (95%CI:60.6-70.0) among individuals with physical impairment, 50.3% (95%CI:45.0-56.0) for people with hearing impairment, and 55.3% (95%CI:51.8-59.0) for the visually impaired. Individuals with congenital physical impairment-with or without limitations-presented the strongest association with the poorest SRH status. Participants with non-limiting, congenital hearing impairment showed a protective factor to poor SRH (PR = 0.40 95%CI: 0.38-0.52). Individuals with acquired visual impairment with limitations demonstrated the strongest association with poor SRH (PR = 1.48 95%CI:1.47-1.49). Among the impaired population, middle-aged participants showed a stronger association with poor SRH than older adult participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Impairment is associated with poor SRH status, especially among people with physical impairment. The origin and degree of limitation of each type of impairment differently impacts SRH among the impaired population.

History of traumatic brain injury in relation to cognitive functioning, memory complaints and brain structure in mid-life

In this study, we investigated history of traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness in relation to cognitive functioning, subjective memory complaints and brain structure in mid-life. This study included 2,005 participants (mean age: 47.6 years, standard deviation: 5.0, women: 65%) from the ORACLE study between 2017-2020. History of traumatic brain injury was defined as at least one life-time self-reported head injury with loss of consciousness. Associations of history of traumatic brain injury with (1) cognitive functioning (measured with the 15-Word learning test, Stroop task, Letter-digit substitution test, Word fluency test, Purdue pegboard test, and Design organization test) (2) current subjective memory complaints (present/absent, measured with a survey), and (3) brain structure (total brain volume, frontal and temporal lobes volume, gray matter volume, white matter volume, white matter hyperintensities volume, infarcts, and microbleeds, measured with brain-MRI) were assessed using linear or logistic regression models and adjusted for relevant confounders. In total, 250 of 2,005 (12%) participants reported a history of traumatic brain injury. Of those who reported the time post-injury (n=173), most participants (n=151, 87%) reported that it occurred more than 10 years ago. We found no associations between history of traumatic brain injury and any of the cognitive tests. We did find that a history of traumatic brain injury was associated with having mid-life subjective memory complaints (odds ratio (OR): 1.87, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35; 2.58). This association was also present when investigating only those who reported an injury more than 10 years ago (OR:1.69, 95% CI: 1.15; 2.50). Additionally, the association was stronger in those with more than 30 minutes loss of consciousness (OR: 3.57, 95%CI: 1.48; 8.59) than in those with less than 30 minutes loss of consciousness (OR: 1.85, 95%CI: 1.25; 2.74), when compared to those without history of traumatic brain injury. Lastly, we found no associations between history of traumatic brain injury and any of the structural brain-MRI outcomes. In conclusion, our study suggests that at least one life-time traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness in mid-life is associated with long-term subjective memory complaints, but not with cognitive functioning or brain structure.

Using multiple imputation and intervention-based scenarios to project the mobility of older adults

Background

Projections of the development of mobility limitations of older adults are needed for evidence-based policy making. The aim of this study was to generate projections of mobility limitations among older people in the United States, England, and Finland.

Methods

We applied multiple imputation modelling with bootstrapping to generate projections of stair climbing and walking limitations until 2026. A physical activity intervention producing a beneficial effect on self-reported activities of daily living measures was identified in a comprehensive literature search and incorporated in the scenarios used in the projections. We utilised the harmonised longitudinal survey data from the Ageing Trajectories of Health – Longitudinal Opportunities and Synergies (ATHLOS) project (N = 24,982).

Results

Based on the scenarios from 2012 to 2026, the prevalence of walking limitations will decrease from 9.4 to 6.4%. A physical activity intervention would decrease the prevalence of stair climbing limitations compared with no intervention from 28.9 to 18.9% between 2012 and 2026.

Conclusions

A physical activity intervention implemented on older population seems to have a positive effect on maintaining mobility in the future. Our method provides an interesting option for generating projections by incorporating intervention-based scenarios.

Disparities in the pace of biological aging among midlife adults of the same chronological age have implications for future frailty risk and policy

Some humans age faster than others. Variation in biological aging can be measured in midlife, but the implications of this variation are poorly understood. We tested associations between midlife biological aging and indicators of future frailty-risk in the Dunedin cohort of 1037 infants born the same year and followed to age 45. Participants' Pace of Aging was quantified by tracking declining function in 19 biomarkers indexing the cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, immune, dental, and pulmonary systems across ages 26, 32, 38, and 45 years. At age 45 in 2019, participants with faster Pace of Aging had more cognitive difficulties, signs of advanced brain aging, diminished sensory-motor functions, older appearance, and more pessimistic perceptions of aging. People who are aging more rapidly than same-age peers in midlife may prematurely need supports to sustain independence that are usually reserved for older adults. Chronological age does not adequately identify need for such supports.