A1 Journal article (refereed)
Lifestyle-related factors in late midlife as predictors of frailty from late midlife into old age : a longitudinal birth cohort study (2024)

Haapanen, M. J., Mikkola, T. M., Jylhävä, J., Wasenius, N. S., Kajantie, E., Eriksson, J. G., & von Bonsdorff, M. B. (2024). Lifestyle-related factors in late midlife as predictors of frailty from late midlife into old age : a longitudinal birth cohort study. Age and Ageing, 53(4), Article afae066. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afae066

JYU authors or editors

Bonsdorff von, Mikaela

Publication details

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

Journal or series: Age and Ageing

ISSN: 0002-0729

eISSN: 1468-2834

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 01/04/2024

Volume: 53

Issue number: 4

Article number: afae066

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afae066

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/94660

Abstract

Background
Few studies have examined longitudinal changes in lifestyle-related factors and frailty.

Methods
We examined the association between individual lifestyle factors (exercise, diet, sleep, alcohol, smoking and body composition), their sum at baseline, their change over the 17-year follow-up and the rate of change in frailty index values using linear mixed models in a cohort of 2,000 participants aged 57–69 years at baseline.

Results
A higher number of healthy lifestyle-related factors at baseline was associated with lower levels of frailty but not with its rate of change from late midlife into old age. Participants who stopped exercising regularly (adjusted β × Time = 0.19, 95%CI = 0.10, 0.27) and who began experiencing sleeping difficulties (adjusted β × Time = 0.20, 95%CI = 0.10, 0.31) experienced more rapid increases in frailty from late midlife into old age. Conversely, those whose sleep improved (adjusted β × Time = −0.10, 95%CI = −0.23, −0.01) showed a slower increase in frailty from late midlife onwards. Participants letting go of lifestyle-related factors (decline by 3+ factors vs. no change) became more frail faster from late midlife into old age (adjusted β × Time = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.30).

Conclusions
Lifestyle-related differences in frailty were already evident in late midlife and persisted into old age. Adopting one new healthy lifestyle-related factor had a small impact on a slightly less steeply increasing level of frailty. Maintaining regular exercise and sleeping habits may help prevent more rapid increases in frailty.

Keywords: ageing; frailty syndrome; forecasts; lifestyle habits; physical activity; diets; smoking; alcohol use; sleep; longitudinal research; cohort study