Laura Kolehmainen1,2, Satu Havulinna1, Tiia Ngandu3,4, Timo Strandberg5,6, Esko Levälahti3, Jenni Lehtisalo3,7, Riitta Antikainen5,8,9, Elina Hietikko5,8,9, Markku Peltonen3, Auli Pölönen10, Hilkka Soininen7,11, Jaakko Tuomilehto2,3,12,13, Tiina Laatikainen3,14,15, Rainer Rauramaa16, Miia Kivipelto3,4,7,14,17,18,19, Jenni Kulmala3,4,20. 1. Ageing, Disability and Functioning Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. 2. Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. 3. Public Health Promotion Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. 4. Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 5. Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. 6. University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. 7. Institute of Clinical Medicine/Neurology, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. 8. Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland. 9. Oulu City Hospital, Oulu, Finland. 10. Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland. 11. Neurocenter, Department of Neurology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. 12. National School of Public Health, Madrid, Spain. 13. South Ostrobothnia Central Hospital, Seinäjoki, Finland. 14. Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. 15. Joint Municipal Authority for North Karelia Social and Health Services (Siun Sote), Joensuu, Finland. 16. Kuopio Research Institute of Exercise Medicine, Kuopio, Finland. 17. Neuroepidemiology and Ageing Research Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK. 18. Theme Aging, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. 19. Stockholms Sjukhem, Research & Development Unit, Stockholm, Sweden. 20. School of Health Care and Social Work, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, Seinäjoki, Finland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: frailty syndrome is common amongst older people. Low physical activity is part of frailty, but long-term prospective studies investigating leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) during the life course as a predictor of frailty are still warranted. The aim of this study is to investigate whether earlier life LTPA predicts frailty in older age. METHODS: the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) included older adults (aged 60-77 years) from the general population who were at increased risk of cognitive decline. Frailty was assessed for 1,137 participants at a baseline visit using a modified version of Fried's phenotype, including five criteria: weight loss, exhaustion, weakness, slowness and low physical activity. Self-reported data on earlier life LTPA were available from previous population-based studies (average follow-up time 13.6 years). A binomial logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between earlier life LTPA and pre-frailty/frailty in older age. RESULTS: the prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty was 0.8% and 27.3%, respectively. In the analyses, pre-frail and frail groups were combined. People who had been physically very active (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.23-0.60) or moderately active (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.32-0.65) earlier in life had lower odds of becoming pre-frail/frail than individuals who had been sedentary. CONCLUSIONS: frailty was rare in this relatively healthy study population, but almost a third of the participants were pre-frail. Earlier life LTPA was associated with lower levels of pre-frailty/frailty. The results highlight the importance of physical activity when aiming to promote healthy old age.
BACKGROUND:frailty syndrome is common amongst older people. Low physical activity is part of frailty, but long-term prospective studies investigating leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) during the life course as a predictor of frailty are still warranted. The aim of this study is to investigate whether earlier life LTPA predicts frailty in older age. METHODS: the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) included older adults (aged 60-77 years) from the general population who were at increased risk of cognitive decline. Frailty was assessed for 1,137 participants at a baseline visit using a modified version of Fried's phenotype, including five criteria: weight loss, exhaustion, weakness, slowness and low physical activity. Self-reported data on earlier life LTPA were available from previous population-based studies (average follow-up time 13.6 years). A binomial logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between earlier life LTPA and pre-frailty/frailty in older age. RESULTS: the prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty was 0.8% and 27.3%, respectively. In the analyses, pre-frail and frail groups were combined. People who had been physically very active (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.23-0.60) or moderately active (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.32-0.65) earlier in life had lower odds of becoming pre-frail/frail than individuals who had been sedentary. CONCLUSIONS: frailty was rare in this relatively healthy study population, but almost a third of the participants were pre-frail. Earlier life LTPA was associated with lower levels of pre-frailty/frailty. The results highlight the importance of physical activity when aiming to promote healthy old age.