Intellectual ability in young adulthood as an antecedent of physical functioning in older age.

2016

Objectives: low cognitive ability is associated with subsequent functional disability. Whether this association extends across adult life has been little studied. The aim of this study was to examine the association between intellectual ability in young adulthood and physical functioning during a 10-year follow-up in older age.Methods: three hundred and sixty persons of the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (HBCS) male members, born between 1934 and 1944 and residing in Finland in 1971, took part in The Finnish Defence Forces Basic Intellectual Ability Test during the first 2 weeks of their military service training between 1952 and 1972. Their physical functioning was assessed twice using the Sh…

Telomere Length and Frailty: The Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

2018

Objectives: Telomere length is associated with aging-related pathologies. Although the association between telomere length and frailty has been studied previously, only a few studies assessing longitudinal changes in telomere length and frailty exist. Design: Longitudinal cohort study. Setting and participants: A subpopulation of the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study consisting of 1078 older adults aged 67 to 79 years born in Helsinki, Finland, between 1934 and 1944. Measures: Relative leukocyte telomere length (LTL) was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction at the average ages of 61 and 71 years, and at the latter the participants were assessed for frailty according to …

The impact of maternal weight in pregnancy on glucose metabolism in non-diabetic offspring in late adulthood

2019

Aims: We aimed to examine the association between maternal adiposity and glucose metabolism in adult offspring without diabetes, simultaneous taking offspring own adiposity into account. Methods: This longitudinal birth cohort study (Helsinki Birth Cohort Study) included 1,440 non-diabetic subjects examined at a mean age of 62 years. Subjects were divided into quartiles according to maternal body mass index (BMI). The impact of maternal BMI on offspring body composition was also studied. Results: There were no differences in fasting glucose between the groups. In men, maternal BMI was inversely associated with mean 2-hour glucose concentration after a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (p <0.…

Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight

2021

From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape of the distribution. In East and Southeast Asia…

Higher carotid-radial pulse wave velocity is associated with non-melancholic depressive symptoms in men - findings from Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

2021

Background: Depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are major causes of global disease burden that are interrelated through mostly unknown mechanisms. We studied the relationship of melancholic and non-melancholic depressive symptoms with arterial stiffness, an important underlying mechanism of CVD. Methods: The Helsinki Birth Cohort Study recruited 683 previously extensively phenotyped subjects for this sub-study. Cross-sectional data along with responses regarding depressive symptoms were obtained for each participant. For evaluation of depressive symptoms, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)and subscales were used to measure melancholic and non-melancholic depressive symptoms. Arteri…

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

2022

Abstract 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. A 41-item FI was calculated on each occasion. Information on birth size, maternal body mass index (BMI), growth in infancy and childhood, childhood socioeconomic status (SES), and early-life stress (wartime separation from both parents) was obtained from registers and health ca…

A healthy Nordic diet and physical performance in old age : findings from the longitudinal Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

2016

AbstractEpidemiological studies have shown that a number of nutrients are associated with better physical performance. However, little is still known about the role of the whole diet, particularly a healthy Nordic diet, in relation to physical performance. Therefore, we examined whether a healthy Nordic diet was associated with measures of physical performance 10 years later. We studied 1072 participants from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Participants’ diet was assessed using a validated 128-item FFQ at the mean age of 61 years, and a priori-defined Nordic diet score (NDS) was calculated. The score included Nordic fruits and berries, vegetables, cereals, PUFA:SFA and trans-fatty acids ra…

Body composition as a predictor of physical performance in older age : A ten- year follow-up of the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

2018

Background: This study assessed how different measures of body composition predict physical performance ten years later among older adults. Methods: The participants were 1076 men and women aged 57 to 70 years. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and body composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis) were measured at baseline and physical performance (Senior Fitness Test) ten years later. Linear regression analyses were adjusted for age, education, smoking, duration of the follow-up and physical activity. Results: Greater BMI, waist circumference, fat mass, and percent body fat were associated with poorer physical performance in both sexes (standardized regression coefficient [beta…

Author response: Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight

2020

Glucose regulation and physical performance among older people: the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

2018

Aims To assess whether disturbances in glucose regulation are associated with impairment in physical performance during a 10-year follow-up. Methods 475 Men and 603 women from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study were studied. Glucose regulation was evaluated with a 2-h 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in 2001-2004. Subjects were categorised as having either impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), newly diagnosed diabetes or previously known diabetes. Physical performance was assessed approximately 10 years later using the validated senior fitness test (SFT). The relationship between glucose regulation and the overall SFT score was estimated using multiple linear…

Body composition and changes in health-related quality of life in older age: a 10-year follow-up of the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

2020

Abstract Purpose Most studies examining the associations between body composition and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older age have been cross-sectional and analyzed only fat or lean mass. Hence, it is poorly known whether fat and lean mass are independently associated with subsequent changes in HRQoL. We investigated whether baseline lean and fat mass are associated with changes in HRQoL over a 10-year period in older adults. Methods We studied 1044 men and women from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (age 57–70 years at baseline). Bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to derive baseline fat mass index (FMI, fat mass/height2) and lean mass index (lean mass/height2), dichotomiz…

Infant and childhood growth and frailty in old age : the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

2018

BackgroundEvidence from life course studies highlights the importance of infant and childhood growth as risk factors for adulthood chronic diseases.MethodsIn this sub-study of the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, we studied 1078 individuals who had both information on body size from birth to 12 years of age and who were assessed for frailty according to the Fried criteria at the mean age of 71 years.ResultsGreater BMI gain between 2 and 11 years in boys was associated with frailty in old age (age-adjusted RRR 2.36, 95% CI 1.21, 4.63). No similar associations were observed in girls.ConclusionsMen who were frail in old age experienced accelerated BMI gain in childhood compared with those men who …

Early Life Origins of All-Cause and Cause-Specific Disability Pension: Findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

2015

BackgroundThere is some evidence linking sub-optimal prenatal development to an increased risk of disability pension (DP). Our aim was to investigate whether body size at birth was associated with transitioning into all-cause and cause-specific DP during the adult work career.Methods10 682 people born in 1934-44 belonging to the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study had data on birth weight extracted from birth records, and on time, type and reason of retirement between 1971 and 2011 extracted from the Finnish Centre for Pensions.ResultsAltogether 21.3% transitioned into DP during the 40-year follow-up, mainly due to mental disorders, musculoskeletal disorders and cardiovascular disease. Average age …

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

2022

Abstract 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. Frailty was assessed based on Fried’s frailty criteria at mean age of 71.0 (2.7 SD) years in clinical examinations between the years 2011 and 2013. General practice office visits and remote contacts, the total number of general practice contacts, physiotherapy contacts, and the total numb…

Association of childhood adversities and home atmosphere with functioning in old age: the Helsinki birth cohort study

2019

Objectivechildhood adversities have been linked with adverse health outcomes, but less is known about the long-term consequences of childhood home atmosphere. We investigated whether childhood adversities and home atmosphere were associated with physical and mental functioning in older age.Methodsin the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study 2003, participants born in the year 1934–44 had data available on nine childhood home atmosphere items, e.g. whether it was supportive and warm (sum score ranged between 0 and 36, higher score indicating better atmosphere), and nine childhood adversities, e.g. unemployment and divorce (sum score 0–9, coded into no; one; and two or more adversities) assessed in 200…

Relationship between physical activity and physical performance in later life in different birth weight groups.

2017

There is strong evidence that physical activity (PA) has an influence on physical performance in later life. Also, a small body size at birth has been associated with lower physical functioning in older age and both small and high birth weight have shown to be associated with lower leisure time physical activity. However, it is unknown whether size at birth modulates the association between PA and physical performance in old age. We examined 695 individuals from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study born in Helsinki, Finland between 1934 and 1944. At a mean age of 70.7 years PA was objectively assessed with a multisensory activity monitor and physical performance with the Senior Fitness Test (SFT…

Body Composition in Late Midlife as a Predictor of Accelerated Age-associated Deficit-accumulation From Late Midlife into Old Age: A Longitudinal Bir…

2022

Abstract Background Body mass index (BMI) may not be an optimal predictor of frailty as its constituents, lean and fat mass, may have opposite associations with frailty. Methods A linear mixed model analysis was performed in the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (n = 2 000) spanning from 57 to 84 years. A 39-item frailty index (FI) was calculated on three occasions over 17 years. Body composition in late midlife included BMI, percent body fat (%BF), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), lean mass index (LMI), and fat mass index (FMI). Results Mean FI levels increased by 0.28%/year among men and by 0.34%/year among women. Among women, per each kg/m2 higher BMI and each unit higher %BF the increases in FI leve…

Change in physical activity and health-related quality of life in old age-A 10-year follow-up study.

2019

The aim of the study was to examine the association between change in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and change in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and symptoms of depression during a 10-year follow-up. This prospective study included 1036 men and women (mean age at baseline = 61.2 years) from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Leisure-time physical activity was measured with a questionnaire, HRQoL with SF36 and depression symptoms with Beck's depression inventory (BDI). The association between the change in LTPA and change in HRQoL and BDI were investigated with sex-stratified general linear models adjusted for age, smoking, educational attainment, comorbidity score, and baselin…

Telomere length and physical performance among older people-The Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.

2019

Telomere length has been suggested a biomarker of aging and is associated with several chronic diseases. However, the association between telomere length and physical performance is not well known. Using both cross-sectional and longitudinal data, we studied 582 women and 453 men from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study at two time-points; a baseline examination in 2001-2004 at a mean age of 61 years and a follow-up examination approximately 10 years later in 2011-2013. Telomere length was measured both at baseline and at follow-up using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Physical performance was evaluated only at follow-up using the Senior Fitness Test (SFT), which assesses stre…

Early life body mass trajectories and mortality in older age: Findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

2014

Overweight and obesity in childhood have been linked to an increased risk of adult mortality, but evidence is still scarce.We identified trajectories of body mass index (BMI) development in early life and investigated their mortality risk. Data come from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, in which 4943 individuals, born 1934-1944, had serial measures of weight and height from birth to 11 years extracted from health care records, weight and height data in adulthood, and register-based mortality data for 2000-2010.Three early BMI trajectories (increasing, average, and average-to-low for men and increasing, average, and low-to-high BMI for women) were identified. Women with an increasing or low-…

Repositioning of the global epicentre of non-optimal cholesterol

2020

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

2021

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. Grip strength was assessed in the dominant hand using a Newtest Grip Force dynamometer. A standard 2-h 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was used to define glucose regulation. The participants were classified into four groups: normoglycaemia, prediabetes (impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance), newly diagnosed diabetes and previously known diabetes. The association between grip strength and glucose regulation was assessed using …

Body size at birth and coronary heart disease-related hospital care in adult men : Findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

2017

Aim: We investigated, among those who had been hospitalized at least once due to coronary heart disease (CHD), the relationship between ponderal index (PI, birthweight/length3) at birth, a measure of thinness, and the age at first hospitalization due to CHD, the number of CHD-related hospital care episodes, and cost of CHD-related hospital care from young adulthood to old age. Methods and results: Data from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study included 964 men born in Helsinki, Finland during 1934–1944, who had been hospitalized due to CHD and had birth anthropometrics data. PI (kg/m3) was categorized into low (27.5). CHD-related hospital care data were available from 1971 to 2013. We observed a…

Birth Size and Childhood Growth as Determinants of Physical Functioning in Older Age: The Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

2011

The study reports on the associations of infant and childhood anthropometric measurements, early growth, and the combined effect of birth weight and childhood body mass index with older age physical functioning among 1,999 individuals born in 1934–1944 and belonging to the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Physical functioning was assessed by the Short Form 36 scale. Anthropometric data from infancy and childhood were retrieved from medical records. The risk of lower Short Form 36 physical functioning at the mean age of 61.6 years was increased for those with birth weight less than 2.5 kg compared with those weighing 3.0–3.5 kg at birth (odds ratio (OR) = 2.73, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.57…

Genome Analyses of >200,000 Individuals Identify 58 Loci for Chronic Inflammation and Highlight Pathways that Link Inflammation and Complex Disorders

2018

International audience; C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive biomarker of chronic low-grade inflammation and is associated with multiple complex diseases. The genetic determinants of chronic inflammation remain largely unknown, and the causal role of CRP in several clinical outcomes is debated. We performed two genome-wide association studies (GWASs), on HapMap and 1000 Genomes imputed data, of circulating amounts of CRP by using data from 88 studies comprising 204,402 European individuals. Additionally, we performed in silico functional analyses and Mendelian randomization analyses with several clinical outcomes. The GWAS meta-analyses of CRP revealed 58 distinct genetic loci (p < 5 × 1…

BODY SIZE AT BIRTH, CHILDHOOD GROWTH, HIP FRACTURES IN OLDER AGE

2017

Childhood growth has been linked with bone properties in adulthood, whereas less is known about the contribution of early growth to bone fracture risk. We investigated the association of body size at birth and childhood growth with hip fractures and pharmacotherapy for osteoporosis in older age. Men and women, born full term, from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (n = 8345) were followed until the age of 68 to 80 years. Height and weight from birth to 11 years were obtained from health care records and diagnoses of hip fractures and osteoporosis drug purchases from national registers. Independent associations of each age period were analyzed using Cox models adjusted for age, childhood and a…

Early life determinants of frailty in old age : the Helsinki Birth Cohort Stud

2018

Background there is evidence suggesting that several chronic diseases have their origins in utero and that development taking place during sensitive periods may affect the aging process. We investigated whether early life determinants would be associated with frailty in old age. Methods at a mean age of 71 years, 1,078 participants belonging to the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study were assessed for frailty according to the Fried frailty criteria. Early life measurements (birth weight, length, mother body mass index [BMI] and parity) were obtained from birth, child welfare and school health records. Multinomial regression analysis was used to assess the association between early life determinants…

The Healthy Nordic Diet and Mediterranean Diet and Incidence of Disability 10 Years Later in Home-Dwelling Old Adults.

2019

Background/Objective: Diet has a major impact on a person's health. However, limited information exists on the long-term role of the whole diet on disability. We investigated the association of the healthy Nordic diet and the Mediterranean diet with incident disability 10 years later. Design: Longitudinal, with a follow-up of 10 years. Settings/Participants: A total of 962 home-dwelling men and women from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, mean age 61.6 years, who were free of disability at baseline. Measurements: At baseline, 2001-2004, the Nordic diet score (NDS) and modified Mediterranean diet score (mMDS) were calculated using a validated 128-item food-frequency questionnaire. Higher scor…

Early Life Stress and Physical and Psychosocial Functioning in Late Adulthood

2013

Background. Severe stress experienced in early life may have long-term effects on adult physiological and psychological health and well-being. We studied physical and psychosocial functioning in late adulthood in subjects separated temporarily from their parents in childhood during World War II. Methods. The 1803 participants belong to the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, born 1934–44. Of them, 267 (14.8%) had been evacuated abroad in childhood during WWII and the remaining subjects served as controls. Physical and psychosocial functioning was assessed with the Short Form 36 scale (SF-36) between 2001 and 2004. A test for trends was based on linear regression. All analyses were adjusted for age…

Association between DNA methylation and ADHD symptoms from birth to school age: a prospective meta-analysis

2020

Funder: Gouvernement du Canada | Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Instituts de Recherche en Santé du Canada); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000024

Maternal body mass index in pregnancy and offspring physical and psychosocial functioning in older age: findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study…

2016

Maternal obesity is associated with several adverse long-term health outcomes in the offspring. In this study, we examined the association between maternal body mass index (BMI) and offspring physical and psychosocial functioning in late adulthood.The study included 1759 men and women born during 1934-1944 and belonging to the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Data on maternal weight and height in late pregnancy and on offspring birth weight were retrieved from hospital birth records. Physical and psychosocial functioning was assessed using the Short Form 36 scale.Maternal BMI was positively associated with poorer physical and psychosocial functioning among men, but not among women. This associa…

Advanced glycation end products measured by skin autofluorescence are associated with melancholic depressive symptoms - Findings from Helsinki Birth …

2021

Background: Millions of people live with depression and its burden of disease. Depression has an increased comorbidity and mortality that has remained unexplained. Studies have reported connections between advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and various disease processes, including mental health. The present study evaluated associations between AGEs, depressive symptoms, and types of depressive symptoms. Methods: From the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, 815 participants with a mean age of 76 years were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Characteristics regarding self-reported lifestyle and medical history, as well as blood tests were obtained along with responses regarding depressive…

Maternal adiposity in pregnancy and offspring asthma in adulthood.

2018

High maternal body mass index in pregnancy was associated with an increased prevalence of offspring asthma in men in adult life

Work careers in adults separated temporarily from their parents in childhood during World War II.

2019

Introduction: Traumatic experiences, such as separation from parents in childhood causing early life stress (ELS) may increase the risk of adverse long-term health outcomes and biological age-related changes. This may have an impact on work career. Our aim was to examine long term consequences of ELS due to temporary separation from parents during World War II (WWII) in relation to work career. - Material and methods: The Helsinki Birth Cohort Study comprises 13,345 individuals born in Helsinki, Finland, between the years 1934–1944. From the original cohort, 1781 individuals were identified as being separated temporarily from their parents due to World War II. Information on date and type o…

Early life stress and frailty in old age: the Helsinki birth cohort study

2018

Background: Evidence suggests that early life stress (ELS) may extend its effect into adulthood and predispose an individual to adverse health outcomes. We investigated whether wartime parental separation, an indicator of severe ELS, would be associated with frailty in old age. Methods: Of the 972 participants belonging to the present sub-study of the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, 117 (12. 0%) had been evacuated abroad unaccompanied by their parents in childhood during World War II. Frailty was assessed at a mean age of 71 years according to Fried's criteria. Results: Thirteen frail men (4 separated and 9 non-separated) and 20 frail women (2 separated and 18 non-separated) were identified. C…

The relationship between health-related quality of life and melancholic depressive symptoms is modified by brain insulin receptor gene network

2021

AbstractTo investigate whether expression-based polygenic risk scores for the insulin receptor gene network (ePRS-IRs) modifiy the association between type of depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This cross-sectional study includes 1558 individuals from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Between 2001 and 2004, the Short Form-36 questionnaire was employed to assess mental and physical components of HRQoL and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to assess depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were categorized into minimal (BDI &lt; 10), non-melancholic and melancholic types of depression. The ePRS-IRs were calculated for the hippocampal (hePRS-IR) and the mesocorticolim…

Objectively measured physical activity and physical performance in old age

2017

Abstract Background: Physical performance is a key factor that determines how older people cope with daily tasks and maintain independency. There is strong evidence suggesting that physical activity (PA) is important in maintaining physical performance in old age. However, most studies have been done using self-reported PA. Our aim was to explore the association between objectively measured PA and physical performance in old age. Methods: We studied 695 participants (mean age 70.7 years, SD 2.7) from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Physical performance was assessed with the Senior Fitness Test (SFT) and PA with a multisensory activity monitor SenseWear Pro 3 Armband. Results: Total volume …

Childhood growth predicts higher bone mass and greater bone area in early old age: findings among a subgroup of women from the Helsinki Birth Cohort …

2017

Abstract Summary: We examined the associations between childhood growth and bone properties among women at early old age. Early growth in height predicted greater bone area and higher bone mineral mass. However, information on growth did not improve prediction of bone properties beyond that predicted by body size at early old age. Introduction: We examined the associations between body size at birth and childhood growth with bone area, bone mineral content (BMC), and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in early old age. Methods: A subgroup of women (n = 178, mean 60.4 years) from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, born 1934–1944, participated in dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measuremen…

Non-melancholic depressive symptoms are associated with above average fat mass index in the Helsinki birth cohort study

2022

AbstractThere is an existing link between two of the most common diseases, obesity and depression. These are both of great public health concern, but little is known about the relationships between the subtypes of these conditions. We hypothesized that non-melancholic depressive symptoms have a stronger relationship with both body composition (lean mass and fat mass) and dysfunctional glucose metabolism than melancholic depression. For this cross-sectional study 1510 participants from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study had their body composition evaluated as lean mass and fat mass (Lean Mass Index [LMI, kg/m2] + Fat Mass Index [FMI kg/m2] = Body Mass Index). Participants were evaluated for dep…

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

2022

Depressive Symptoms and Mortality : Findings from Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

2023

Background Individuals with depression and depressive symptoms have a higher mortality rate than non-depressed individuals. The increased comorbidity and mortality associated with depression has remained largely unexplained. The underlying pathophysiological differences between depressive subtypes, melancholic and non-melancholic, may provide some explanation to this phenomenon. Methods 1995 participants (mean age 61 years) from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study were recruited for this prospective study and followed up for a mean of 14.1 years. Information regarding medical history, lifestyle, and biochemical parameters were obtained. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depressio…

Change in physical activity and health-related quality of life in old age : a 10-year follow-up study

2019

The aim of the study was to examine the association between change in leisure‐time physical activity (LTPA) and change in health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) and symptoms of depression during a 10‐year follow‐up. This prospective study included 1036 men and women (mean age at baseline = 61.2 years) from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Leisure‐time physical activity was measured with a questionnaire, HRQoL with SF36 and depression symptoms with Beck's depression inventory (BDI). The association between the change in LTPA and change in HRQoL and BDI were investigated with sex‐stratified general linear models adjusted for age, smoking, educational attainment, comorbidity score, and baselin…