Abnormal sleep duration is associated with sarcopenia in older Chinese people: A large retrospective cross-sectional study

Aim

Abnormalities in sleep patterns are a common health problem for the older adults. The relationship between sarcopenia and sleep duration in older people is controversial. This research is to examine the association between sleep duration and sarcopenia.

Methods

We drew 21,095 adults from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS). Not only we explore the relationship between sleep duration and sarcopenia, but also compare sleep duration to three sarcopenia subcomponents. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis was conducted by the gender and residence area to ascertain the discrepancy, separately. Finally, using restricted cubic spline to find the non-linear association between them.

Results

Among 7,342 community older adults engaged by CHARLS in 2015, the incidence of possible sarcopenia and sarcopenia was 23.14 and 11.30%, separately. Sleep duration (≤6 h) [OR(95%CI) = 1.30(1.03-1.65), p < 0.05] and (≥8 h) [OR(95%CI) = 1.33(1.05-1.69), p < 0.05] were significantly linked with possible sarcopenia, while long sleep duration (≥8 h) [OR(95%CI) = 1.41(1.01-2.02), p < 0.05] was correlated strongly with sarcopenia. A non-linear relationship (U-shaped) between sarcopenia risk and sleep duration was found (p for non-linear = 0.009).

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the importance of sleep duration in the onset of sarcopenia and might assist older persons to maintain good sleeping habits.

Loneliness Factors in Older People and the Influence on Attitudes Toward Informal Care: A Study of Older Chinese People in Urban Areas

OBJECTIVES

Loneliness is thought to be more likely to occur in older people and influences their lives. This study aimed to verify the influence of loneliness in older Chinese people on their attitudes toward informal care, as well as the demographic, social, and economic factors that may cause loneliness.

METHODS

Data was collected from older P (age: >60 years) using an online questionnaire. Hierarchical linear regression was used to analyze the associations between demographic, social, and economic factors, loneliness, and attitudes toward informal care.

RESULTS

Results have shown that cohabitation and family savings could significantly negatively influence loneliness. Educational background and cohabitation could significantly positively influence attitudes toward informal care. However, loneliness could significantly negatively influence attitudes toward informal care.

CONCLUSION

Older people living alone and with worse economic conditions may need attention from the community and society because they are more likely to suffer from loneliness. Loneliness may also significantly impact older people's attitudes toward long-term care. Older people are more likely to feel lonely may have more negative attitudes toward informal care. Communities need to make more efforts to improve community health services or formal care services for these older people to address situations where informal care is not sufficiently provided.

Elder abuse and its medical outcomes in older Chinese people with cognitive and physical impairments

OBJECTIVES

Elder abuse poses a major public health threat considering the ongoing rapid aging of the global population. This study investigates the association between elder abuse by family caregivers and medical outcomes among older Chinese patients with cognitive and physical impairments in the People's Republic of China.

METHODS

Using cross-sectional design, 1002 older patients (aged 55 y and older) and their family caregivers were recruited from 3 grade A hospitals in Guangdong Province. The major independent variable is caregiver-reported elder abuse, while outcome variables include cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peptic ulcer, digestive disorder, chronic hepatic disease, chronic renal disease, metabolic disease, acute inflammation, joint disease, tumor, and general injury. The prevalence of these medical conditions among patients who were abused and those who were not were compared using descriptive analyses and chi-square tests, and logistic regression was used to establish the relevant independent associations.

RESULTS

A total of 429 (42.8%) older persons have experienced physical or psychological abuse over the past 12 months. After adjusting for potential confounders, abused older persons were more susceptible to cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peptic ulcer, digestive disorder, metabolic disease, acute inflammation, tumor, and injuries.

CONCLUSION

Elder abuse is associated with various major medical morbidities. Interdisciplinary cooperation is necessary to identify and reduce the adverse physiological consequences in victims.

The time trends of cognitive impairment incidence among older Chinese people in the community: based on the CLHLS cohorts from 1998 to 2014

Objective

to examine a 16-year trend in cognitive impairment (CI) incidence and associated factors among older Chinese people.

Subjects

aged 60 and above whose cognitive function were normal at their first test.

Methods

a secondary analysis that identified subjects from the database of Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). The database contained mixed longitudinal cohorts of older Chinese people surveyed in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2008-09, 2011-12 and 2014. The cognitive function of subjects was tested using the Chinese Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE) in each wave. The unique individual code identified a mixed cohort of 17,896 subjects who had multiple CMMSE measures over a 16-year period and available covariates for the analysis. CI was defined as the CMMSE score below 18 points. Crude and age-standardised incidence of CI by gender were calculated by year of survey. Risk factor adjusted time trends in the incidence were examined using multilevel regression models.

Results

age-standardised CI incidence decreased from 58.77‰ to 10.09‰ (P < 0.001) from 1998 to 2014, and this decrease remained after adjusting for covariates. About 15.8% in the observed decline was explained by higher education, and 7.9% was due to health practice (regular exercise, physical activity and cognitive activity), beyond age and gender effects.

Conclusion

the CI incidence among older Chinese people decreased from 1998 to 2014. Lower education level and less frequent health practices mentioned above were important risk factors in CI prevention.

Association of socioeconomic status and cognitive functioning change among elderly Chinese people

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

the inverse association between high socioeconomic status and impaired cognitive functioning in old age has been widely studied. However, it is still inconclusive whether higher socioeconomic status slows the rate of cognitive decline over ageing, especially in non-Western populations. We examined this association using a large population-based longitudinal survey of older Chinese persons.

METHODS

the sample came from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) (from the years 2002 to 2011, N = 15,798 at baseline, aged 65-105). The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) based on face-to-face interviews was used to assess cognitive functioning. Socioeconomic status was assessed using educational attainment and household income per capita. Latent growth curve and selection model considering the attrition during the follow-up were utilised to assess the effect of socioeconomic status on the rate of change in cognitive functioning.

RESULTS

at baseline, younger elderly people, urban residents and elderly people living alone had better cognitive performance in both genders. Educational attainment was positively associated with cognitive functioning at baseline but did not have a significant effect on the rate of change in cognitive functioning. Higher incomes were associated with better cognitive functioning at baseline, but this difference diminished during the follow-up.

CONCLUSION

higher socioeconomic status was associated with better cognitive performance at baseline but could not protect against the rate of decline in cognitive functioning measured by MMSE in this longitudinal study for elderly Chinese people.

Dietary Pattern Is Associated with Obesity in Older People in China: Data from China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS)

Background: No studies have been conducted to explore the associations between dietary patterns and obesity among older Chinese people, by considering gender and urbanization level differences. Methods: We analyzed data from the 2009 China Health and Nutrition Survey (2745 individuals, aged ≥ 60 years). Dietary data were obtained using 24 h-recall over three consecutive days. Height, Body Weight, and Waist Circumference were measured. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify dietary patterns. Multinomial and Poisson regression models were used to examine the association between dietary patterns and Body Mass Index (BMI) status/central obesity. Results: The prevalence of general and central obesity was 9.5% and 53.4%. Traditional dietary pattern (high intake of rice, pork and vegetables) was inversely associated with general/central obesity; modern dietary pattern (high intake of fruit, fast food, and processed meat) was positively associated with general/central obesity. The highest quartile of traditional dietary pattern had a lower risk of general/central obesity compared with the lowest quartile, while an inverse picture was found for the modern dietary pattern. These associations were consistent by gender and urbanization levels. Conclusions: Dietary patterns are associated with general/central obesity in older Chinese. This study reinforces the importance of a healthy diet in promoting healthy ageing in China.

Perceptions and attitudes towards exercise among Chinese elders - the implications of culturally based self-management strategies for effective health-related help seeking and person-centred care

BACKGROUND

Encouraging the uptake of physical activity among a culturally diverse elderly population presents a challenge for health-care providers across the world. Little is known about the health-care needs of these populations, for example the increasingly ageing group of Chinese elders in many parts of the world who are now facing later life and increasing challenges to their health.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore behaviours and attitudes towards exercise among older Chinese immigrants in the UK to provide insights into the health of Chinese populations in the UK and elsewhere.

DESIGN

A Grounded Theory approach using purposive and theoretical sampling with in-depth semi-structured interviews.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Chinese elders were recruited from Chinese communities in the North West of England. Thirty-three participants were interviewed face-to-face and audio-recorded.

RESULTS

Participants self-managed exercise based on cultural perceptions of health and ingrained Chinese values. Professional support and information was lacking and relied on folk norms rather than person-centred recommendations for healthy living. Inappropriate exercise regimes could act as a substitute for seeking health-related advice when exercise was often used as a self-monitored barometer to assess their perceived health status.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Chinese elders may undertake inappropriate exercise, leading to high-risk situations, if appropriate professional information is not provided. Health-care practitioners should devote attention to understanding Chinese elders' attitudes towards exercise, as this may ultimately lead to successful health promotion activities. A person-centred approach that acknowledges and works with self-management practices is advocated.