Clinical and laboratory characteristics of active and healthy aging (AHA) in octogenarian men

Abstract

Less than 5 % enjoyed active and healthy aging over their life course, which was significantly related to markers of frailty but not to the traditional vascular risk factors.

Midlife predictors of active and healthy aging (AHA) among older businessmen

“…Furthermore, earlier studies of the HBS cohort have shown associations between cardiovascular risk factors in midlife and health-related quality of life in old age [ 16 – 19 ]. However, the cross-sectional study in old age [ 7 ] suggested that cardiovascular risk factors were not significantly related to AHA, which may be due to reverse causation and the effects of medications.…”

“…In 2010, 839 men of the present study responded to mailed survey, and the criteria of AHA were defined by Rantanen et al [ 7 ] as: (1) being alive, (2) responding to the mailed questionnaire survey (reflects social functioning), (3) no subjective cognitive problems (self-reported in the survey according to the memory item in the Clinical Dementia Rating; reflects cognitive functioning), (4) feeling of happiness (self-reported in the survey, RAND-36 item; reflects psychological functioning), (5) no difficulties in activities of daily living (ADL) (self-reported in the survey; reflects physical functioning), and (6) no significant chronic diseases (cardiovascular diseases, Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes; self-reported in the survey; reflects physical health).…”

“…Furthermore, various definitions and assessments of successful and healthy aging have been used in studies [ 6 ]. In a previous analysis of Helsinki Businessmen Study (HBS) cohort, active and healthy aging (AHA) was defined as an ability to perform daily activities and feeling happy without cognitive or functional impairments, and major chronic diseases [ 7 ].…”

“…In addition, studies have shown an association between midlife value priorities [ 20 ], behavioral factors [ 15 ], and self-rated health (SRH) [ 21 ] with late-life frailty and mortality. In a cross-sectional study of the HBS cohort, < 5% met the criteria for AHA, which was associated with physical functioning and subjective health [ 7 ].…”

Healthy ageing requires a triple strategy

“…Therefore, we must consider healthy ageing in a life course perspective. Few studies exist, but in a recent long-term study from early midlife to old age, only 5 % of the original cohort of octogenarian men experienced ''healthy ageing'' (defined by the absence of important non-communicable diseases, intact memory and ADL, happy and socially active) [9]. In older survivors, the proportion has been higher, for example 12 % in a national US sample of 65?…”