scholarly journals Adherence to healthy lifestyle and attenuation of biological aging in middle-aged and older Chinese adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junning Fan ◽  
Canqing Yu ◽  
Yuanjie Pang ◽  
Yu Guo ◽  
Pei Pei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Lifestyle Factors ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Frailty Status ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Older Chinese Adults

Abstract Background Little is known about the effects of lifestyle modification on biological aging in population-based studies of middle-aged and older adults. Methods We examined the individual and joint associations of multiple lifestyle factors with accelerated biological aging measured by change in frailty index (FI) over 8 years in a prospective study of Chinese adults. Data were obtained on 24,813 participants in the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) on lifestyle factors and frailty status at baseline and at 8 years after baseline. Adherence to healthy lifestyle factors included non-smoking or quitting smoking for reasons other than illness, avoidance of heavy alcohol consumption, daily intake of fruit and vegetables, being physically active, body mass index (BMI) of 18.5-23.9 kg/m 2, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) <0.90 (men)/0.85 (women). FI was constructed separately at baseline and resurvey using 25 age- and health-related items. Results Overall, 8,760 (35.3%) individuals had a worsening frailty status. In multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses, adherence to healthy lifestyle was associated with a lower risk of worsening frailty status. Compared with robust participants maintaining 0-1 healthy lifestyle factors, the corresponding OR (95% CI) was 0.93 (0.83-1.03), 0.75 (0.67-0.84), 0.68 (0.60-0.77), and 0.55 (0.46-0.65) for robust participants with 2, 3, 4, and 5-6 healthy lifestyle factors. The decreased risk of frailty status worsening by adherence to healthy lifestyle factors was similar in both middle-aged and older adults, and in both robust and prefrail participants at baseline. Conclusions Adherence to a healthy lifestyle may attenuate the rate of change in biological aging in middle-aged and older Chinese adults.

scholarly journals A Machine Learning-Based Aging Measure Among Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Adults: The China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xingqi Cao ◽  
Guanglai Yang ◽  
Xurui Jin ◽  
Liu He ◽  
Xueqin Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Activities Of Daily Living ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Gradient Boosting ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Older Chinese Adults

Objective: Biological age (BA) has been accepted as a more accurate proxy of aging than chronological age (CA). This study aimed to use machine learning (ML) algorithms to estimate BA in the Chinese population.Materials and methods: We used data from 9,771 middle-aged and older Chinese adults (≥45 years) in the 2011/2012 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study and followed until 2018. We used several ML algorithms (e.g., Gradient Boosting Regressor, Random Forest, CatBoost Regressor, and Support Vector Machine) to develop new measures of biological aging (ML-BAs) based on physiological biomarkers. R-squared value and mean absolute error (MAE) were used to determine the optimal performance of these ML-BAs. We used logistic regression models to examine the associations of the best ML-BA and a conventional aging measure—Klemera and Doubal method-BA (KDM-BA) we previously developed—with physical disability and mortality, respectively.Results: The Gradient Boosting Regression model performed the best, resulting in an ML-BA with an R-squared value of 0.270 and an MAE of 6.519. This ML-BA was significantly associated with disability in basic activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, lower extremity mobility, and upper extremity mobility, and mortality, with odds ratios ranging from 1 to 7% (per 1-year increment in ML-BA, all P < 0.001), independent of CA. These associations were generally comparable to that of KDM-BA.Conclusion: This study provides a valid ML-based measure of biological aging for middle-aged and older Chinese adults. These findings support the application of ML in geroscience research and may help facilitate preventive and geroprotector intervention studies.

scholarly journals A machine learning based aging measure among middle-aged and older Chinese adults: the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xingqi Cao ◽  
Guanglai Yang ◽  
Xurui Jin ◽  
Liu He ◽  
Xueqin Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Activities Of Daily Living ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Gradient Boosting ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Older Chinese Adults

Background: Biological age (BA) has been accepted as a more accurate proxy of aging than chronological age (CA). This study aimed to use machine learning (ML) algorithms to estimate BA in the Chinese population. Methods: We used data from 9,771 middle-aged and older (≥45 years) Chinese adults in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. We used several ML algorithms (e.g., Gradient Boosting Regressor, Random Forest, CatBoost Regressor, and Support Vector Machine) to develop new measures of biological aging (ML-BAs) based on physiological biomarkers. R-squared value and mean absolute error (MAE) were used to determine the optimal performance of these ML-BAs. We used logistic regression models to examine the associations of the best ML-BA and a conventional aging measure - Klemera and Doubal method -biological age (KDM-BA) we previously developed - with physical disability and mortality, respectively. Results: The Gradient Boosting Regression model performed best, resulting in a ML-BA with R-squared value of 0.270 and MAE of 6.519. This ML-BA was significantly associated with disability in basic activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, lower extremity mobility, and upper extremity mobility, and mortality, with odds ratios ranging from 1% to 7% (per one-year increment in ML-BA, all P <0.001), independent of CA. These associations were generally comparable to that of KDM-BA. Conclusion: This study provides a valid ML-based measure of biological aging for middle-aged and older Chinese adults. These findings support the application of ML in geroscience research and help facilitate the understanding of the aging process.

Depressive Symptoms Among Rural “Left-Behind” Older Adults: A Test of the High Outmigration Penalty Hypothesis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Song ◽  
Haowei Wang ◽  
Jeffery A Burr
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Economic Conditions ◽  
Adult Density ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Older Chinese Adults

Abstract Objectives We investigated whether there was a “high outmigration penalty” for psychological health among older adults in rural China by assessing 2 potential community stressors associated with major sociodemographic changes in the community—increased outmigration and older adult density. We also investigated whether disparities in community economic conditions moderated the association between community stressors and depressive symptoms. Methods We employed 3 waves of data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011–2015), using multilevel negative binomial models to address our research questions. Results Our results supported the “high outmigration penalty” hypothesis. Older adults living in low-income rural communities may experience an aggravated mental health penalty compared to those living in high-income rural communities. Higher older adult density was also associated with more depressive symptoms but only in less wealthy communities. Community differences in economic conditions were key factors buffering the high outmigration disadvantage associated with the psychological health of older Chinese adults. Discussion Rural outmigration may have deepened existing intercommunity health disparities among older adults. Policies should be developed to address community-level factors negatively associated with the well-being of older Chinese adults living in high outmigration and less wealthy rural communities.

scholarly journals Speech Perception in Noise Is Associated With Different Cognitive Abilities in Chinese-Speaking Older Adults With and Without Hearing Aids

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Chen ◽  
Lena L. N. Wong ◽  
Shaina Shing Chan ◽  
Joannie Yu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Speech Perception ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Speech Perception In Noise ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Older Chinese Adults

Chinese-speaking older adults usually do not perceive a hearing problem until audiometric thresholds exceed 45 dB HL, and the audiometric thresholds of the average hearing-aid (HA) user often exceed 60 dB HL. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between cognitive and hearing functions (measured as audiometric or speech reception thresholds) in older Chinese adults with HAs and with untreated hearing loss (HL). Participants were 49 Chinese older adults who used HAs and had moderate to severe HL (HA group), and 46 older Chinese who had mild to moderately severe HL but did not use HAs (untreated; or UT group). Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to evaluate how well age, education level, audiometric thresholds, and speech perception in noise were related to performance on general cognitive function, working memory, executive function, attention, and verbal learning tests. Results showed that speech perception in noise alone accounted for 13–25% of the variance in general cognitive function, working memory, and executive function in the UT group, and 9–21% of the variance in general cognitive function and verbal learning in the HA group (i.e., medium effect sizes). Audiometric thresholds did not explain any proportion of the variance in cognitive functioning in the HA or UT group. Thus, speech perception in noise accounts for more variance in cognitive performance than audiometric thresholds, and is significantly associated with different cognitive functions in older Chinese adults with HAs and with untreated HL.

scholarly journals Association between the number of teeth and frailty among Chinese older adults: a nationwide cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e029929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaohua Gu ◽  
Wenwen Wu ◽  
Jinbing Bai ◽  
Xuyu Chen ◽  
Xiaoli Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Multiple Logistic Regression ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Number Of Teeth ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Older Chinese Adults

ObjectivesTo explore the association between the number of teeth and frailty among older Chinese adults using a nationally representative sample.DesignCross-sectional analysis was carried out using the 2014 wave data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, which used a targeted random-sampling design.SettingThis research was conducted in communities from nearly half of the counties and cities in 22 out of 31 provinces throughout China.ParticipantsOf the 6934 interviewees aged ≥65 years, the final analysis included 3635 older adults who had completed the 2014 wave survey on the variables included in the study.Primary and secondary outcome measuresOutcome variables included frailty, measured by the Frailty Index, and number of teeth. Covariates included demographic characteristics (ie, age, sex, co-residence, marital status, years of education and financial support), body mass index (BMI) and health behaviours (ie, smoking, drinking and exercise). A univariate logistic regression was used to test the factors associated with frailty. A multiple logistic regression model was used, using the frailty score as the dependent variable and the number of teeth together with significant covariates as the independent variables.ResultsThe prevalence of frailty was 27.68%. The mean number of teeth present was 9.23 (SD=10.03). The multiple logistic regression showed that older adults’ demographic variables, health behaviours, BMI, tooth number and chewing pain were significantly associated with frailty. After adjusting for the covariates, older adults with fewer teeth had significantly higher odds of frailty than those with 20 or more teeth (no teeth: OR=2.07, 95% CI 1.53 to 2.80; 1 to 10 teeth: OR=1.77, 95% CI 1.31 to 2.38), except for older adults with 11 to 20 teeth (OR=1.30, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.82).ConclusionsThe presence of fewer teeth is significantly associated with frailty status among older Chinese adults. Future studies are needed to explain the specific mechanisms underlying how oral health status is associated with frailty.

scholarly journals SOCIAL CAPITAL AND HOME- AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE UTILIZATION AMONG URBAN OLDER CHINESE ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S637-S637
Author(s):  
Changmin Peng ◽  
Jeffery A Burr ◽  
Kyungmin Kim ◽  
Nan Lu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Behavioral Model ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Cognitive Social Capital ◽  
Older Chinese Adults ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Structural Social Capital

Abstract Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) are increasingly important for older adults who want to maintain their independence and remain in their communities. Although HCBS systems have been developed widely in many western countries and in some countries in Asia, China is just beginning to grapple with its rapidly aging population by offering HCBS in a limited fashion. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between structural (e.g., citizenship activities, volunteering) and cognitive (e.g., social trust, a sense of belonging) social capital and HCBS utilization among older Chinese adults. The study also examined the mediating effect of structural social capital for the the relationship between cognitive social capital and HCBS utilization. We frame the study within the Andersen behavioral model of health services utilization and argue that within this framework social capital is an enabling factor. We analyzed survey data from 456 community-dwelling older adults living in the Gusu district of the city of Suzhou, China in 2015. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. The results showed that both cognitive and structural social capital were significantly associated with HCBS utilization. Structural social capital also served as a mediator between cognitive social capital and HCBS utilization, even after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and other relevant covariates. The findings supported the utility of employing Andersen’s behavioral model and social capital theory for better understanding older Chinese adults’ utilization of HCBS. Interventions for increasing social capital may be useful for improving HCBS utilization in Chinese urban communities.

scholarly journals Association between rural-to-urban migration and the cognitive aging trajectories of older Chinese adults: results from a prospective cohort analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinzhao Xie ◽  
Jing Liao ◽  
Jing Zhang ◽  
Jing Gu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Urban Migration ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Female Migrants ◽  
Rural To Urban Migration ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Older Chinese Adults

Abstract Background Increasingly, older Chinese adults from rural areas are moving to urban areas to live with their children who have already migrated to these areas. However, few studies have examined this pattern of migration and its effects on cognitive function. We aimed to investigate the association between domestic rural-to-urban migration and the trajectories of cognitive function in older Chinese adults, as well as the factors contributing to these association. Methods Data for this study were drawn from three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Migrants were defined as participants who had rural hukou status (under China’s household registration system) but resided in an urban area. Cognitive functions were measured using an adapted Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination. We used multilevel linear regression models to examine the association between internal migration and cognitive function trajectories. Results The study included 3876 Chinese adults aged ≥60 years at baseline. Compared with their rural non-migrant counterparts, migrants (n = 850) had higher levels of education and reported more interactions with family. Additionally, female migrants were more likely to participate in leisure activities. All cognitive function scores declined over time, but no significant differences were observed in rates of cognitive decline between migrants and non-migrants, regardless of sex. Female migrants exhibited significantly better performance in terms of total cognition (β = 0.77, P < .001) and mental status (β = 0.68, P < .001) than female non-migrants, whereas no inter-group difference was observed regarding memory (β = 0.09, P > .05). Among the male subjects, no significant differences in cognitive function levels were observed between migrants and non-migrants. A series of adjusted models revealed that psychosocial factors such as residing with children, caring for grandchildren, depression and participation in leisure activities partly explained the association between migration and cognition in women. Conclusions Rural-to-urban migration was positively associated with cognitive functions only in women. However, this pattern did not affect the rate of cognitive decline in either sex. Our findings provide directions for tailored interventions improving cognitive functions of older adults and rural non-migrating older adults, especially female non-migrants.

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