A1 Journal article (refereed)
Body Composition in Late Midlife as a Predictor of Accelerated Age-associated Deficit-accumulation From Late Midlife into Old Age : A Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study (2023)

Haapanen, M. J., Mikkola, T. M., Kortelainen, L., Jylhävä, J., Wasenius, N. S., Kajantie, E., Eriksson, J. G., & von Bonsdorff, M. B. (2023). Body Composition in Late Midlife as a Predictor of Accelerated Age-associated Deficit-accumulation From Late Midlife into Old Age : A Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study. Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 78(6), 980-987. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glac233

JYU authors or editors

Bonsdorff von, Mikaela

Publication details

All authors or editors: Haapanen, Markus J.; Mikkola, Tuija M.; Kortelainen, Lauri; Jylhävä, Juulia; Wasenius, Niko S.; Kajantie, Eero; Eriksson, Johan G.; von Bonsdorff, Mikaela B.

Journal or series: Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences

ISSN: 1079-5006

eISSN: 1758-535X

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 26/11/2022

Volume: 78

Issue number: 6

Pages range: 980-987

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glac233

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/84399

Abstract

Background
Body mass index (BMI) may not be an optimal predictor of frailty as its constituents, lean and fat mass, may have opposite associations with frailty.

Methods
A linear mixed model analysis was performed in the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (n=2000) spanning from 57 to 84 years. A 39-item frailty index (FI) was calculated on three occasions over 17 years. Body composition in late midlife included BMI, percent body fat (%BF), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), lean mass index (LMI), and fat mass index (FMI).

Results
Mean FI levels increased by 0.28%/year among men and by 0.34%/year among women. Among women, per each kg/m 2 higher BMI and each unit higher %BF the increases in FI levels per year were 0.013 percentage points (PP) steeper (95% CI=0.004, 0.023) and 0.009 PP steeper (95% CI=0.002, 0.016) from late midlife into old age. Among men, per each 0.1-unit greater WHR the increase in FI levels was 0.074 PP steeper per year (95% CI=-0.0004, 0.148). Cross-sectionally, greater FMI and LMI in late midlife were associated with higher FI levels but the direction of the association regarding LMI changed after adjustment for FMI. The categories ‘high FMI & high LMI’ and ‘high FMI & low LMI’ showed the highest FI levels relative to the category ‘low FMI & low LMI’.

Conclusions
In late midlife, greater adiposity (%BF) among women and abdominal obesity (WHR) among men may predispose to higher levels of frailty from late midlife into old age. Greater lean mass alone may be protective of frailty, but not in the presence of high fat mass.

Keywords: body; body composition; frailty syndrome; risk factors; course of life

Free keywords: body composition; frailty; risk factor; life-course

Fields of science: