Cumulative associations between midlife health behaviors and physical functioning in early old age: a 17-year prospective cohort study.

摘要: Objective measures of physical functioning such as walking speed and upper limb strength predict mortality other adverse health outcomes,1–3 but the determinants poor function at older ages, particularly modifiable factors, are not well known. Previous studies suggest that behaviors—smoking,4–7 alcohol consumption,6 diet,8–12 activity6,13–21—are related to function. Plausible underlying mechanisms include vascular disease22 cognitive function,23,24 because behaviors associated with these outcomes in turn function.25–29 Aging is a continuous process, resulting from accumulation damage over time,30 making it important consider duration exposure risk factors when examining aging outcomes. Most on association between have assessed them only one time point,4,6,8–13,15,17–19,21 although previous found associations pack-years smoking4–6 function, cumulative effect activity.7,14,16,20 Nevertheless, remains unclear whether there midlife (<65) early old age for Furthermore, correlated,31,32 most all4,6–8,10 focused single rather than multiple simultaneously.5,9,11,13–16,18–21 In present report Whitehall II study, repeat data (diet, activity, smoking, consumption) three times 12-year period were used examine unhealthy age. Walking assess follow-up objectively, effects compared 17, 10, 5 years before measure functioning. It was hypothesized would increase exposure, terms number behavior reported period. Given clustering anticipated each be attenuated taken into account.