scholarly journals How Does Subjective Age Get “Under the Skin”? The Association Between Biomarkers and Feeling Older or Younger Than One’s Age: The Health and Retirement Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bharat Thyagarajan ◽  
Nathan Shippee ◽  
Helen Parsons ◽  
Sithara Vivek ◽  
Eileen Crimmins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reference Group ◽  
Inflammatory Marker ◽  
Endocrine Function ◽  
Stress Index ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Reference Category ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Background and Objectives Though subjective age is a well-recognized risk factor for several chronic diseases, the biological basis for these associations remains poorly understood. Research Design and Methods We used new comprehensive biomarker data from the 2016 wave of the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to evaluate the association between biomarker levels and self-reported subjective age in a subset of 3,740 HRS participants who provided a blood sample. We measured biomarkers in seven biological domains associated with aging: inflammation, glycemia, lipids, liver function, endocrine function, renal function, and cardiac function. The primary outcome was the age discrepancy score (subjective age − chronological age) categorized as those who felt younger, older, or the same as their chronological age (reference group). Analyses adjusted for comprehensive psychosocial factors (chronic stress index, depression score), demographic factors (race, sex, body mass index, marital status, physical activity), and prevalence of chronic health conditions (comorbidity index). Results The prevalence of clinically relevant reduced levels of albumin concentrations was lower in those who felt younger (8.8% vs. 16.0%; p = .006) and higher in those who felt older (20.4% vs. 16.0%; p = .03) when compared with the reference category. The prevalence of clinically significant elevation in liver enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase was also significantly lower among those who felt younger (7.1% vs. 8.6%; p = .04) when compared with the reference category. Prevalence of clinically elevated levels in cystatin C was also lower among those who felt younger when compared with the reference category (50.0% vs. 59.1%; p = .04). There was no association between lipids, glucose, or C-reactive protein (inflammatory marker) and subjective age categories. Discussion and Implications These results suggest that people who feel younger may have favorable biomarker profiles and as a result may have lower prevalence of age-related diseases when compared with those who feel older or those who feel the same as their chronological age.

scholarly journals INFLUENCING FACTORS OF SUBJECTIVE AGE: FINDINGS FROM THE KUSATSU LONGITUDINAL STUDY ON AGING AND HEALTH

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S695-S696
Author(s):  
Tomoko Ikeuchi ◽  
Satoshi Seino ◽  
Yu Taniguchi ◽  
Miki Narita ◽  
Takumi Abe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Years Of Schooling

Abstract Background: Subjective age (SA) has been found to be a biopsychosocial marker of aging, yet little is known about factors that influence SA development. This study examined factors influencing SA using longitudinal data of community-dwelling older Japanese. Methods: Data drawn from the Kusatsu Longitudinal Study were collected during annual health check-ups in 2017 and 2018 from participants (aged 65-95) who completed all the measurement items used for this analysis (N=981). SA was indexed by asking participants to specify in years how old they felt. Proportional discrepancy scores ((subjective age - chronological age)/chronological age ×100) were calculated to indicate younger or older SAs and used as a dependent variable. As influencing factors of SA, chronological age, sex, years of schooling, history of smoking, cognitive function (using MMSE scores, range 14-30 at baseline), depressive symptoms, physical function (gait speed), and social function (employment status) were examined. Analyses were performed with random-effects GLS regression models. Results: Significant partial regression coefficients were found for cognitive function (0.48%, CI: 0.18, 0.79), years of schooling (-0.42%, CI: -0.69, -0.15), depressive symptoms (0.32%, CI: 0.11, 0.53), and chronological age (-0.18%, CI: -0.30, -0.68). Implications: This study found that older age and longer years of schooling were associated with younger SA, while better cognition and depressive symptoms were linked to older SA. Better cognition being associated with older SA was inconsistent with existing studies. This may be due in part to the association of better cognition and the level of satisfaction influenced by awareness of age-related physical/social changes.

Age-related differences in T cell subsets in a nationally representative sample of people over age 55: Findings from the Health and Retirement Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bharat Thyagarajan ◽  
Jessica Faul ◽  
Sithara Vivek ◽  
Jung Ki Kim ◽  
Janko Nikolich-Žugich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
T Cell Subsets ◽  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Cd8 Cells ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Retirement Study ◽  
Age And Sex

Abstract Though T cell immunosenescence is a major risk factor for age-related diseases, susceptibility to infections, and responses to vaccines, differences in T cells subset counts and representation by age and sex have not been determined for a large sample representative of the national population of the US. We evaluated the counts of T cell subsets including total, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and their naïve (Tn), effector memory (Tem) and effector subsets, in the context of age, sex and exposure to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection among 8,848 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) participants, a nationally representative study of adults over 55 years. Total T cells (CD3+) and CD4+ cells declined markedly with age; CD8+ T cells declined somewhat less. While CD4+ T cell declines with age occurred for both CMV seropositive and CMV seronegative groups, total T cells and CD8+ cells were both substantially higher among the CMV seropositive group. Numbers of Tn CD4+ and CD8+ cells were strongly and inversely related to age, were better conserved among women, and were independent of CMV seropositivity. By contrast, accumulation of the CD8+ and CD4+ Tem and effector subsets was CMV-associated. This is the first study to provide counts of T cell subsets by age and sex in a national sample of older US adults over the age of 55 years. Understanding T cell changes with age and sex is an important first step in determining strategies to reduce its impact on age-related diseases and susceptibility to infection.

Getting Objective About Subjective Age: Introduction to a Special Issue

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 265-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cort W Rudolph ◽  
Florian Kunze ◽  
Hannes Zacher
Keyword(s):  
Work Outcomes ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Editorial Process ◽  
Scholarly Work ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Important Work ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Big Picture

AbstractResearchers have become increasingly interested in age-related constructs other than chronological age, which has been found to explain only small amounts of variance in many important work outcomes. In this editorial that accompanies our special issue of Work, Aging and Retirement on “the multitude of age constructs,” we seek to attain three related goals: First, we provide an overview of our editorial process. Second, we offer brief summaries of the five papers that are included in this special issue. Third, and perhaps representing our most substantive contribution here, we present answers to six “big picture” questions about subjective age to inform future scholarly work. We conclude that, although many important questions about alternative age constructs remain to be answered, the papers in this special issue represent excellent examples of novel work in this arena and suggest several opportunities for how future research could more rigorously and critically apply these constructs to the study of work, aging and retirement.

scholarly journals Neighborhood Characteristics and Accelerated Aging: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 246-246
Author(s):  
Haena Lee ◽  
Jennifer Ailshire ◽  
Eileen Crimmins
Keyword(s):  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Accelerated Aging ◽  
Biological Age ◽  
Physical Disorder ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Neighborhood Characteristics ◽  
Summary Measure ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract An individual’s rate of aging directly impacts one’s functioning, morbidity and mortality. Identifying factors related to accelerated or delayed aging may provide important information for potential areas of intervention. While race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status and behavior characteristics have been linked to biological aging, it is unclear whether neighborhood characteristics are associated with one’s rate of aging. We use a novel aging measure, Expanded Biological Age, from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study Venous Blood Study (HRS-VBS) to investigate whether individuals living with unfavorable neighborhood conditions are experiencing accelerated aging compared to those living in more favorable conditions. We constructed a summary measure of expanded biological age using 22 novel biomarkers in the HRS-VBS; we then regressed the summary measure on age and used the residuals as indicators of accelerated or delayed aging. We measured neighborhood physical disorder, presence of green space, and perceived social cohesion using the 2016 HRS Interviewer Observation data and Self-Administered Questionnaire. We find that individuals living with higher levels of neighborhood physical disorder appeared 1.05 years older biologically than the average for those of the same chronological age. Individuals living near green space including parks were 1.5 years younger biologically than expected based on their chronological age though this association was marginally significant. We did not find an association between neighborhood social cohesion and accelerated aging. This implies that living with severe neighborhood disorder, characterized by presence of disrepair, trash/litter, and abandoned structures, and living near green space, play an important role in who lives longer.

Determinants and Implications of Subjective Age Across Adulthood and Old Age

2018 ◽  
pp. 86-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yannick Stephan ◽  
Angelina R. Sutin ◽  
Antonio Terracciano
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Control ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Family Networks ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Personality Changes

Subjective age (how old or young individuals feel relative to their chronological age) is gaining popularity in gerontology and related disciplines because of its relation with biopsychosocial processes of aging. Evidence from Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) and other cohorts is reviewed on the predictors and outcomes of subjective age. An older subjective age is predicted by age discrimination, negative changes in one’s social and family networks, lower well-being and perceived control, poor physical conditions and more chronic health problems. Subjective age is also predictive of a range of crucial outcomes. Indeed, feeling younger is related to better physical and mental health, cognition, more favorable personality changes, lower risk of incident hospitalization, and longevity. These findings suggest that the subjective experience of age is a biopsychosocial marker of aging with promise as a predictor of crucial age-related outcomes, beyond chronological age.

scholarly journals Emergency Preparedness in 2010 and Concerns About COVID-19: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 723-724
Author(s):  
Timothy Killian ◽  
Betsy Garrison ◽  
Charleen McNeill
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Single Item ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Increase Risk ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Emergency preparations are particularly important for older persons as age-related vulnerabilities increase risk of morbidity and mortality associated with disasters. The novel COVID-19 virus combined with the ongoing efforts of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) has provided researchers with the opportunity to examine how emergency preparedness was related to responses to the COVID-19 disaster approximately 10years later. The data for this study were generated from participants in the HRS.. This study only examined data from participants in both the disaster preparedness sub-sample of 2010 and COVID-19 sub-sample in 2020 resulting in data from 249 participants. In 2020, participants were asked how concerned they were about COVID-19 and whether or not they had been tested for the virus. This study found that disaster preparations in 2010 predicted lower levels of concern about COVID-19 in 2020. The differences in the means for all items, however, was not large enough to reach statistical significance with one exception, participating in an educational program about disaster preparedness (Wilcoxon-Z = -1.88, p < .05). Disaster preparations were associated with an increased likelihood of getting tested for COVID-19 for four of the six items. Statistical significance, however, was only achieved for a single item. Participants who had supplies for a three-day emergency in 2010 had higher rates of getting tested in 2020 (24.84%) as compared to those who did not have supplies for a three-day emergency (14.13%; χ2 = 4.03, p < .05). If accepted for presentation, implications for an array of audiences will be developed.

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