Kota Tsutsumimoto1, Takehiko Doi2, Hyuma Makizako2, Ryo Hotta2, Sho Nakakubo2, Keitaro Makino2, Takao Suzuki3, Hiroyuki Shimada4. 1. Section for Health Promotion, Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 7-430, Morioka-cho, Obu City, Aichi Prefecture, 474-8511, Japan; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 5-3-1, Kouji-machi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0083, Japan. Electronic address: k-tsutsu@ncgg.go.jp. 2. Section for Health Promotion, Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 7-430, Morioka-cho, Obu City, Aichi Prefecture, 474-8511, Japan. 3. National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 7-430, Morioka-cho, Obu City, Aichi Prefecture, 474-8511, Japan; Institute for Gerontology, J.F. Oberlin University, 3758, Tokiwa-machi, Machida City, Tokyo, 194-0294, Japan. 4. Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 7-430, Morioka-cho, Obu City, Aichi Prefecture, 474-8511, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The present study examined the association between anorexia of aging and physical frailty among older people. STUDY DESIGN: An observational, cross-sectional cohort design was used with a sample of 4417 elderly Japanese citizens living in a community setting. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frailty was operationalized as the following frailty components: slowness, weakness, exhaustion, low level of physical activity, and weight loss. Participants were grouped as non-frail, pre-frail, and frail, and categorized as anorexic or not using questionnaire cutoff scores. Measured covariates were as follows: sociodemographic variables, medical history, life style, body mass index, blood nutrition data, self-rated health, depressive symptoms, and cognitive function. RESULTS: The prevalence of anorexia of aging in each group was as follows: non-frail, 7.9%; pre-frail, 14.8%; frail, 21.2% (P for trend<0.001). After adjusting for all covariates, independent associations were identified between anorexia of aging and slowness (OR 1.42, 95% CI: 1.14-1.75, P=0.002), exhaustion (OR 1.39, 95% CI: 1.11-1.74, P=0.004) and weight loss (OR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.05-1.79, P=0.019), but not weakness or low level of physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Anorexia of aging is importantly associated with frailty and the following frailty components: slowness, exhaustion, and weight loss. Future research should prospectively examine frailty's causal connection with anorexia of aging.
OBJECTIVES: The present study examined the association between anorexia of aging and physical frailty among older people. STUDY DESIGN: An observational, cross-sectional cohort design was used with a sample of 4417 elderly Japanese citizens living in a community setting. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frailty was operationalized as the following frailty components: slowness, weakness, exhaustion, low level of physical activity, and weight loss. Participants were grouped as non-frail, pre-frail, and frail, and categorized as anorexic or not using questionnaire cutoff scores. Measured covariates were as follows: sociodemographic variables, medical history, life style, body mass index, blood nutrition data, self-rated health, depressive symptoms, and cognitive function. RESULTS: The prevalence of anorexia of aging in each group was as follows: non-frail, 7.9%; pre-frail, 14.8%; frail, 21.2% (P for trend<0.001). After adjusting for all covariates, independent associations were identified between anorexia of aging and slowness (OR 1.42, 95% CI: 1.14-1.75, P=0.002), exhaustion (OR 1.39, 95% CI: 1.11-1.74, P=0.004) and weight loss (OR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.05-1.79, P=0.019), but not weakness or low level of physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Anorexia of aging is importantly associated with frailty and the following frailty components: slowness, exhaustion, and weight loss. Future research should prospectively examine frailty's causal connection with anorexia of aging.
Authors: Eunjin Jeong; Jung A Kim; Byung Sung Kim; Chang Kyun Lee; Miji Kim; Chang Won Won Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-05-27 Impact factor: 3.390