Frailty in Midlife as a Predictor of Changes in Body Composition from Midlife into Old Age: A Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study.

Introduction: Few studies have investigated the association between frailty and subsequent body composition.

Methods: We performed separate linear mixed model analyses to study the associations between changes in the participant frailty status assessed by a frailty index (FI) and subsequent body mass index (BMI), lean mass index (LMI), fat mass index (FMI), and FMI to LMI ratio values assessed on three occasions over 17 years. The analyses were carried out among 996 participants spanning from age 57 to 84 years.

Lifestyle-related factors in late midlife as predictors of frailty from late midlife into old age: a longitudinal birth cohort study.

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.

Social Mobility and Health-Related Quality of Life Trajectory Classes Among Older Women and Men.

Objectives: Changes in socioeconomic status (SES) during life may impact health in old age. We investigated whether social mobility and childhood and adulthood SES are associated with trajectories of health-related quality of life (HrQoL) over a 17-year period.

Methods: We used data from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study ( = 2003, 46% men, mean age 61.

Midlife cardiovascular health factors as predictors of retirement age, work-loss years, and years spent in retirement among older businessmen.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of premature retirement. However, the relationship between CVD risk factors and workforce participation is not well known. We studied the relationship between midlife CVD risk, age at retirement, work-loss years, and survival in retirement.

Healthy ageing from birth to age 84 years in the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, Finland: a longitudinal study.

Background: The true prevalence of healthy ageing on a population level is unknown. In this study we aimed to examine the upper limit for the prevalence of healthy ageing, by quantifying the probability of surviving and remaining free of chronic diseases that could impact functioning (ie, healthy survival) across adulthood. We also estimated the prevalence of clinically assessed healthy ageing, and the determinants of healthy survival and healthy ageing.

Physical and mental functioning trajectory classes among older adults and their association with specialized healthcare use.

Background: Sex-specific physical and mental functioning trajectory classification could offer a way of understanding the differences in healthcare use at older age.

Methods: Using latent growth mixture models, sex-specific physical and mental functioning trajectory classes were formed for 1991 participants (mean age 61.5 years) of the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.

Association between resilience and frailty in older age: Findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.

Objectives: Resilience, a capacity to cope with adversity, has been linked to better functioning and health in older age. However, little is still known about resilience in relation to frailty. We explored whether resilience would be associated with frailty in older age and if we would observe differences in association between resilience and frailty according to the type of adversity.

Social Participation Considered as Meaningful in old age - the Perceptions of Senior Housing Residents in Finland.

As populations across the world age, there is a recognised need for promoting social participation in older adults. Previous studies related to social participation have addressed that interactions perceived as meaningful may improve quality of life in old age. However, what is less clear is the nature of such participation from the perspective of older adults, as the vast majority of studies have been quantitative.

Changes in physical performance according to job demands across three cohorts of older workers in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam.

This study set out to evaluate the association between job demands at baseline and physical performance over a six-year period across three cohorts of older Dutch workers examined 10 years apart. Data were drawn from three cohorts (1992-1999, 2002-2009 and 2012-2019) of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. Individuals aged 55-65 years from each cohort who worked for pay were included (n = 274, n = 416, n = 618, respectively).

Use of prescription benzodiazepines and related drugs in family caregivers: a nation-wide register-based study.

Background: objective indicators of sleep and mental health problems in family caregivers have rarely been reported.

Objective: to study the use of prescription benzodiazepines and related drugs (BZDRD) in Finnish family caregivers and matched controls.

Design: prospective follow-up in 2012-17.

Adiposity-Related Predictors of Vascular Aging From a Life Course Perspective-Findings From the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.

The main objective of this study was to study predictors of vascular health with focus on adiposity-related factors. Glucose metabolism, blood lipids, inflammatory markers and body composition were assessed 15 years before assessment of vascular health which was assessed with pulse wave velocity (PWV) in 660 subjects born 1934-44. In a univariate analysis in women the strongest association with PWV was seen for age, systolic blood pressure, dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, inflammatory markers and body fat percentage measured in late midlife and PWV measured 15 years later.

Retirement as a predictor of physical functioning trajectories among older businessmen.

Background: Associations between retirement characteristics and consequent physical functioning (PF) are poorly understood, particularly in higher socioeconomic groups, where postponing retirement has had both positive and negative implications for PF.

Methods: Multiple assessments of PF, the first of which at the mean age of 73.3 years, were performed on 1709 men who were retired business executives and managers, using the RAND-36/SF-36 instrument, between 2000 and 2010.

Work incapacity among family caregivers: a record linkage study.

Background: Family caregiving-related physical and mental health problems may lead to work incapacity in employed caregivers. The aim of this study was to quantify sickness absences and disability pensions (SADP) among high-intensity family caregivers available to the labour market compared with a control population.

Methods: The study sample included all individuals in Finland, who had received caregiver's allowance and were available to the labour market in 2012 (n=16 982) and their controls (n=35 371).

The utilization of primary healthcare services among frail older adults - findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.

Background: The impact of frailty on primary healthcare service use, especially general practice office visits and remote contacts, is currently unknown. Further, little is known about the association of frailty with physiotherapy contacts.

Methods: We examined the utilization of primary healthcare services among 1064 participants from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study between the years 2013 and 2017.

Early-Life Factors as Predictors of Age-Associated Deficit Accumulation Across 17 Years From Midlife Into Old Age.

Background: Early-life exposures have been associated with the risk of frailty in old age. We investigated whether early-life exposures predict the level and rate of change in a frailty index (FI) from midlife into old age.

Methods: A linear mixed model analysis was performed using data from 3 measurement occasions over 17 years in participants from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (n = 2 000) aged 57-84 years.

Mental, Physical and Social Functioning in Independently Living Senior House Residents and Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Senior houses provide social interaction and support, potentially supporting older people's physical and mental functioning. Few studies have investigated functioning of senior house residents. The aim was to compare functioning between senior house residents and community-dwelling older adults in Finland.

Early Life Influences on Hearing in Adulthood: a Systematic Review and Two-Step Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: Adverse prenatal and early childhood development may increase susceptibility of hearing loss in adulthood. The objective was to assess whether indices of early development are associated with adult-onset hearing loss in adults ≥18 years.

Design: In a systematic review and meta-analysis, four electronic databases were searched for studies reporting associations between indices of early development (birth weight and adult height) and adult-onset hearing loss in adults ≥18 years.

Use of antidepressants among Finnish family caregivers: a nationwide register-based study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the use of antidepressants over 6 years between family caregivers providing high-intensity care and a matched control population using register-based data.

Methods: The study includes all individuals, who received family caregiver's allowance in Finland in 2012 (n = 29,846 females, mean age 66 years; n = 12,410 males, mean age 71 years) and a control population matched for age, sex, and municipality of residence (n = 59,141 females; n = 24,477 males). Information on purchases of antidepressants, including the number of defined daily doses (DDD) purchased, between 2012 and 2017 was obtained from the national drugs reimbursement register.

Glucose regulation and pain in older people-The Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.

Aims: To assess if individuals with diabetes or prediabetes report more pain or have increased use of pain medication compared to normoglycaemic individuals.

Methods: Using cross-sectional data, we studied 928 men and 1075 women from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study in 2001-2004 at a mean age of 61.5 years.

Glucose regulation and grip strength in adults: Findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the association between grip strength and glucose regulation in a cross-sectional setting.

Methods: Using data from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, 924 men and 953 women were studied at a mean age of 61.6 years.

Retirement age and type as predictors of frailty: a retrospective cohort study of older businessmen.

Objectives: To study the association between retirement characteristics and frailty in a homogenous population of former business executives.

Design: Cross-sectional cohort study using data from the Helsinki Businessmen Study.

Setting: Helsinki, Finland.

Maternal body mass index, change in weight status from childhood to late adulthood and physical activity in older age.

This study aimed to examine the longitudinal associations of maternal body mass index (BMI), weight status in childhood and late adulthood and device-measured total physical activity (TPA) in older age. The study involves 552 participants from Helsinki Birth Cohort Study who were born in Helsinki, Finland, in 1934-1944. TPA was measured with a multisensory body monitor at a mean age of 70 years and expressed in metabolic equivalent of task hours/day (METh/d).

Age-dependency in mortality of family caregivers: a nationwide register-based study.

Background: Evidence on family caregivers' health is conflicting.

Aim: To investigate all-cause and cause-specific mortality in Finnish family caregivers providing high-intensity care and to assess whether age modifies the association between family caregiver status and mortality using data from multiple national registers.

Methods: The data include all individuals, who received family caregiver's allowance in Finland in 2012 (n = 42,256, mean age 67 years, 71% women) and a control population matched for age, sex, and municipality of residence (n = 83,618).