Search results for "Physical function"
showing 10 items of 124 documents
Mid-career work patterns and physical and mental functioning at age 60-64: evidence from the 1946 British birth cohort.
2016
Background: Previous studies of the associations between unemployment and health have primarily focused on mental health and long-term associations have not often been explored. This study investigated if discontinuous employment in mid-career was related to self-reported physical and mental functioning at age 60–64 years. Methods: Data come from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development, a British cohort that has been followed-up since birth in 1946. A total of 2061 study members had data available on mid-career employment patterns and physical and mental functioning assessed using the Short Form 36 questionnaire at age 60–64. Employment patterns in mid-career …
The outdoor mobility and leisure activities of older people in five European countries
2007
ABSTRACTMany gerontological studies have dealt with the leisure activities of older people and they have generated many important theories. Although outdoor activities and mobility promote good health in old age, both decrease with increasing age as people lose physical and mental functions. This paper examines the outdoor and indoor leisure activities of 3,950 older adults and their variations by personal and environmental characteristics in Germany, Finland, Hungary, The Netherlands and Italy. The main dimensions of activity were established by factor analysis, and in all countries four factors were found: home activities, hobbies, social activities, and sports activities. Both similar an…
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING AS DETERMINANTS OF PURPOSE IN LIFE IN OLD AGE
2018
AbstractPurpose in life reflects the feeling of having goals and meaning in life. Higher purpose in life has been shown to predict better health outcomes in old age and even buffer against mortality. However, it is not known how current health and functional status reflect on the possibilities of older people to live a meaningful life. Therefore, this study aimed to explore associations of health and physical functioning with purpose in life. The participants were 273 community-dwelling 75-year-old men and women from the AGNES study. Purpose in life was assessed with the subscale of the Scales of Psychological well-being (range 7–42). Current health situation and walking ability were self-r…
Is physical activity a cause of longevity? It is not as straightforward as some would believe. A critical analysis
2018
There are discrepant findings between (A) observational follow-ups and (B) interventional studies that investigate possible causal association between high physical activity and low mortality. Participation in vigorous physical activity at a specific time-point is an indicator of good fitness and health, and is associated with a reduced risk of death. However, neither randomised controlled trials nor experimental animal studies have provided conclusive evidence to show that physical activity started during adulthood extends lifespan. Consequently, the undisputed health-related benefits of exercise have yet to translate into any proven causal relationship with longevity. Physical activity im…
Obesity and Its Impact Upon Quality of Life
2014
Obesity may have a negative effect on quality of life (QOL) and is an important outcome in the treatment of obesity. In this chapter we discuss the concept of QOL; the measurement of QOL; the mechanisms by which obesity may influence the physical, social, mental, and sexual aspects of QOL; and the effects of weight loss interventions on QOL. Finally, we discuss how health professionals may use QOL measures to improve the quality of clinical practice.
A New Functional Classification Based on Frailty and Disability Stratifies the Risk for Mortality Among Older Adults: The FRADEA Study.
2019
Abstract Objectives The aim of the current study was to investigate whether a new functional classification, based on basic (BADL) and instrumental (IADL) activities of daily living and frailty, is associated with mortality in older adults during 10 years of follow-up. Design Cohort study, with a follow-up of 10 years. Setting and participants A total of 924 participants aged 70 and older from the Frailty and Dependence in Albacete (FRADEA) study, a population-based sample of Spanish older adults. Measures At baseline, a new functional classification of 8 categories was constructed with limitations in BADL using the Barthel Index, limitations in IADL using the Lawton IADL Index, and the cri…
Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference as Predictors of Disability in Nonagenarians: The Vitality 90+ Study.
2017
Background Only scarce data exist on the association between obesity and disability in the oldest old. The purpose of this prospective study is to examine if body mass index and waist circumference (WC) are associated with incident mobility and activities of daily living (ADL) disability in nonagenarians. Methods We used longitudinal data from the Vitality 90+ Study, which is a population-based study conducted at the area of Tampere, Finland. Altogether 291 women and 134 men, aged 90-91 years, had measured data on body mass index and/or WC and did not have self-reported mobility or ADL disability at baseline. Incident mobility and ADL disability was followed-up on median 3.6 years (range 0.…
Assessing physical performance and physical activity in large population-based aging studies: home-based assessments or visits to the research center?
2019
Abstract Background The current study aims to compare correlations between a range of measures of physical performance and physical activity assessing the same underlying construct in different settings, that is, in a home versus a highly standardized setting of the research center or accelerometer recording. We also evaluated the selective attrition of participants related to these different settings and how selective attrition affects the associations between variables and indicators of health, functioning and overall activity. Methods Cross-sectional analyses comprising population-based samples of people aged 75, 80, and 85 years living independently in Jyväskylä, Finland. The AGNES stud…
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…
Self-reported hearing is associated with time spent out-of-home and withdrawal from leisure activities in older community-dwelling adults.
2015
Background Hearing difficulties are prevalent among older people and can lead to difficulties in social interaction. These difficulties may increase the tendency to remain at home and withdraw from leisure activities. Aims To investigate whether self-reported hearing problems are associated with time spent out-of-home and withdrawal from a leisure activity among older persons. Methods Cross-sectional and longitudinal data on 75- to 90-year-old community-dwelling men and women (n = 767) was used. Self-reports of hearing, diseases, and difficulty walking 2 km were obtained via home interviews at baseline, and withdrawal from a leisure activity via 1- and 2-year follow-up telephone interviews.…