Dataset Information

Taking up physical activity in later life and healthy ageing: the English longitudinal study of ageing.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Physical activity is associated with improved overall health in those people who survive to older ages, otherwise conceptualised as healthy ageing. Previous studies have examined the effects of mid-life physical activity on healthy ageing, but not the effects of taking up activity later in life. We examined the association between physical activity and healthy ageing over 8 years of follow-up.

Methods

Participants were 3454 initially disease-free men and women (aged 63.7 ± 8.9 years at baseline) from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a prospective study of community dwelling older adults. Self-reported physical activity was assessed at baseline (2002-2003) and through follow-up. Healthy ageing, assessed at 8 years of follow-up (2010-2011), was defined as those participants who survived without developing major chronic disease, depressive symptoms, physical or cognitive impairment.

Results

At follow-up, 19.3% of the sample was defined as healthy ageing. In comparison with inactive participants, moderate (OR, 2.67, 95% CI 1.95 to 3.64), or vigorous activity (3.53, 2.54 to 4.89) at least once a week was associated with healthy ageing, after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, alcohol, marital status and wealth. Becoming active (multivariate adjusted, 3.37, 1.67 to 6.78) or remaining active (7.68, 4.18 to 14.09) was associated with healthy ageing in comparison with remaining inactive over follow-up.

Conclusions

Sustained physical activity in older age is associated with improved overall health. Significant health benefits were even seen among participants who became physically active relatively late in life.

SUBMITTER: Hamer M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3913225 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Taking up physical activity in later life and healthy ageing: the English longitudinal study of ageing.

Hamer Mark M Lavoie Kim L KL Bacon Simon L SL

British journal of sports medicine 20131125 3

<h4>Background</h4>Physical activity is associated with improved overall health in those people who survive to older ages, otherwise conceptualised as healthy ageing. Previous studies have examined the effects of mid-life physical activity on healthy ageing, but not the effects of taking up activity later in life. We examined the association between physical activity and healthy ageing over 8 years of follow-up.<h4>Methods</h4>Participants were 3454 initially disease-free men and women (aged 63. ...[more]

PMID: 24276781

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Project description:ObjectivesMany central nervous system (CNS) medications are considered potentially inappropriate for prescribing in older people; however, these medications are common in polypharmacy (≥5 medicines) regimens. This paper aims to determine the prevalence of CNS drug classes commonly taken by older people. Furthermore, this paper aims to determine whether polypharmacy and other factors, previously found to be associated with overall polypharmacy, are associated with the most common CNS drug classes.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingEnglish Longitudinal Study of Ageing (wave 6).Participants7730 participants (≥50 years).Main outcome measuresAdjusted Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for CNS drug classes.Results31% of the sample were currently taking ≥5 medications (polypharmacy), of whom 58% (n=1362/2356) were taking CNS medicines as part of their regimen. The most common CNS drug classes in polypharmacy regimens were non-opioid analgesics, opioid analgesics, tricyclic and related antidepressants (TCAs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (34.6%, 13.2%, 10.9% and 10.4%, respectively). Compared with people currently taking 1-4 prescribed medicines, polypharmacy was associated with adjusted ORs of 5.71 (95% CI: 4.29 to 7.61, p<0.01) for opioid analgesics, 3.80 (95% CI: 3.25 to 4.44, p<0.01) for non-opioid analgesics, 3.11 (95% CI: 2.43 to 3.98, p<0.01) for TCAs and 2.30 (95% CI: 1.83 to 2.89, p<0.01) for SSRIs. Lower wealth was also associated with the aforementioned CNS drug classes.ConclusionOpioid and non-opioid analgesics were the most prevalent classes of CNS medicines in this study. Polypharmacy is strongly associated with the aforementioned classes of analgesics. Polypharmacy is also associated with TCAs and SSRIs, although to a lesser extent than for analgesics. For all CNS medicine classes, polypharmacy may need to be considered in relation to reducing the risk of potential adverse events. After adjustment, lower wealth is associated particularly with analgesics, highlighting that socioeconomic factors may play a role in the prescribing of CNS medicines. These findings provide a baseline for future research into this area.

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Dataset Information

Taking up physical activity in later life and healthy ageing: the English longitudinal study of ageing.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Taking up physical activity in later life and healthy ageing: the English longitudinal study of ageing.

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