scholarly journals Biochemical and Hematological Correlates of Elevated Homocysteine in National Surveys and a Longitudinal Study of Urban Adults

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 950
Author(s):  
May A. Beydoun ◽  
Hind A. Beydoun ◽  
Peter H. MacIver ◽  
Sharmin Hossain ◽  
Jose A. Canas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alkaline Phosphatase ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Nhanes Iii ◽  
Phase 2 ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Elevated blood homocysteine (Hcy) among middle-aged adults can increase age-related disease risk, possibly through other biochemical and hematological markers. We selected markers for hyperhomocysteinemia among middle-aged adults, studied time-dependent Hcy-marker associations and computed highly predictive indices of hyperhomocysteinemia, with cross-sectional and longitudinal validations. We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III, phase 2, nmax = 4000), the NHANES 1999–2006 (nmax = 10,151) and pooled NHANES (cross-sectional validation). Longitudinal validation consisted of mixed-effects linear regression models (Hcy predicting markers’ annual rates of change), applied to the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span (HANDLS, n = 227–244 participants, k = 2.4 repeats/participant, Agebase: 30–65 years) data. Machine learning detected nine independent markers for Hcy > 14 µmol/L (NHANES III, phase 2): older age; lower folate and B-12 status; higher serum levels of creatinine, uric acid, alkaline phosphatase, and cotinine; mean cell hemoglobin and red cell distribution widths (RDW); results replicated in the 1999–2006 NHANES [AUC = 0.60–0.80]. Indices combining binary markers increased elevated Hcy odds by 6.9–7.5-fold. In HANDLS, first-visit Hcy predicted annual increase in creatinine, RDW and alkaline phosphatase, with third-visit index (2013–2018) directly predicting Hcy (2004–2009). We provide evidence of the internal and external validity of indices composed of several biomarkers that are strongly associated with elevated Hcy.

scholarly journals Caregiver Status and Diet Quality in Community-Dwelling Adults

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1803
Author(s):  
Sharmin Hossain ◽  
May A. Beydoun ◽  
Michele K. Evans ◽  
Alan B. Zonderman ◽  
Marie F. Kuczmarski
Keyword(s):  
Diet Quality ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Healthy Eating Index ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Inverse Association ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Cross Sectional

Objective: We investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of diet quality with middle-aged caregiver status. Methods: Caregiving in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study (57.7% women, 62% African American (AA)) was measured at waves 3 (2009–2013) and 4 (2013–2017) (mean follow-up time 4.1 years). Diet quality was assessed by the Healthy Eating Index 2010 (HEI-2010) derived from two separate 24 h diet recalls. Multivariable ordinary least square regression was performed for cross-sectional analyses of the association of wave 4 caregiving with wave 4 HEI-2010. Wave 3 caregiving was examined both cross-sectionally and with annual rate of change in HEI using mixed-effects linear regression Models. Multivariable models were adjusted for age, sex, and poverty status. Results: Cross-sectional analyses at wave 4 demonstrate an inverse association of frequent caregiving (“Daily or Weekly” vs. “Never”) for grandchildren with HEI-2010 total score (i.e., lower diet quality) among Whites (β = −2.83 ± 1.19, p = 0.03, Model 2) and AAs (β = −1.84 ± 0.79, p = 0.02,). The “cross-sectional” analysis pertaining to grandchildren caregiving frequency suggested that frequent caregiving (i.e., “Daily or Weekly” vs. “Never” (β = −2.90 ± 1.17, p = 0.04)) only among Whites was inversely related to HEI-2010 total score. Total HEI-2010 score was also related to caring (Model 1), for the elderly over “5 years vs. Never” among Whites (−7.31 ± 3.54, p = 0.04, Model 2). Longitudinally, we found slight potential improvement in diet quality over time (“Daily or Weekly” vs. Never by TIME interaction: +0.88 ± 0.38, p = 0.02) with frequent caregiving among Whites, but not so among AAs. Conclusions: Frequent caring for grandchildren had an inverse relationship with the diet quality of White and AA urban middle-aged caregivers, while caring for elderly was inversely linked to diet quality among Whites only. Longitudinal studies should address the paucity of research on caregivers’ nutritional quality.

scholarly journals Measures Derived from Panoramic Ultrasonography and Animal-Based Protein Intake Are Related to Muscular Performance in Middle-Aged Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 988
Author(s):  
Nathaniel R. Johnson ◽  
Christopher J. Kotarsky ◽  
Kyle J. Hackney ◽  
Kara A. Trautman ◽  
Nathan D. Dicks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Intake ◽  
Handgrip Strength ◽  
Muscle Size ◽  
Dietary Intakes ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Muscular Performance ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Ultrasonography advantageously measures skeletal muscle size and quality, but some muscles may be too large to capture with standardized brightness mode (B-mode) imaging. Panoramic ultrasonography can capture more complete images and may more accurately measure muscle size. We investigated measurements made using panoramic compared to B-mode ultrasonography images of the rectus femoris with muscular performance. Concurrently, protein intake plays an important role in preventing sarcopenia; therefore, we also sought to investigate the association between animal-based protein intake (ABPI) and muscular performance. Ninety-one middle-aged adults were recruited. Muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and thickness were obtained using B-mode and panoramic ultrasound and analyzed with Image J software. Muscular performance was assessed using isokinetic dynamometry, a 30-s chair test, and handgrip strength. Three-day food diaries estimated dietary intakes. Linear regression models determined relationships between measures from ultrasonography and muscular performance. Mixed linear models were used to evaluate the association between ABPI and muscular performance. Muscle CSA from panoramic ultrasonography and ABPI were positively associated with lower-body strength (β ± S.E.; CSA, 42.622 ± 20.024, p = 0.005; ABPI, 65.874 ± 19.855, p = 0.001), lower-body endurance (β ± S.E.; CSA, 595 ± 200.221, p = 0.001; ABPI, 549.944 ± 232.478, p = 0.020), and handgrip strength (β ± S.E.; CSA, 6.966 ± 3.328, p = 0.004; ABPI, 0.349 ± 0.171, p = 0.045). Panoramic ultrasound shows promise as a method for assessing sarcopenia. ABPI is related to better muscular performance.

scholarly journals Cross-Sectional Examination of Musculoskeletal Pain and Physical Function in a Racially and Socioeconomically Diverse Sample of Adults

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angie L Sardina ◽  
Alyssa A Gamaldo ◽  
Ross Andel ◽  
Shanthi Johnson ◽  
Tamara A Baker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Function ◽  
Physical Performance ◽  
Musculoskeletal Pain ◽  
Performance Measures ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Functional Limitation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Abstract Background Musculoskeletal pain alters physiological function, which may be evidenced as early as middle age. Previous research has concluded that middle-aged adults are a high-risk group for musculoskeletal pain and report functional limitations similar to older adults. However, few studies have examined the relationships between musculoskeletal pain and physical function, using objective performance measures in a sample of racially and socioeconomically diverse adults. Thus, this study examined musculoskeletal pain in relation to physical function in middle-aged (30–64 years) White and Black adults and investigated whether the relationship varied by sociodemographic characteristics. Methods This cross-sectional examination incorporated data from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life-Span Study. Participants (n = 875) completed measures of musculoskeletal pain and objective measures of physical performance (ie, lower and upper body strength, balance, and gait abnormalities). Physical performance measures were standardized to derive a global measure of physical function as the dependent variable. Results Approximately, 59% of participants identified at least 1 pain sites (n = 518). Multivariable regression analyses identified significant relationships between greater musculoskeletal pain and poorer physical function (β = −0.07, p = .031), in mid midlife (β = −0.04, p = .041; age 40–54) and late midlife (β = −0.05, p = .027; age 55–64). Conclusions This study observed that musculoskeletal pain was associated with poorer physical function within a diverse group of middle-aged adults. Future research should longitudinally explore whether chronic musculoskeletal pain identified at younger ages is associated with greater risk for functional limitation and dependence in later life.

scholarly journals The Relationship Between Social Support, Aging Expectations, and Health Behavior in Middle Age

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 409-409
Author(s):  
Hyun-E Yeom ◽  
Misook Jung ◽  
Eunyoung Park
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Health Behavior ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Attitudes Toward Aging ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Midlife is a critical period when individuals need to actively engage in healthy behaviors for healthy aging. Although both social relations and attitudes toward aging are factors related to health behavior, little is known about their relationships based on age-related differences. The purposes of this study were to investigate the influence of social support affecting health behavior through expectations regarding aging and to examine how age affects the relationship. A cross-sectional study was conducted with data from 245 midlife Koreans (mean age= 51.5) collected by a self-administered survey. Data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. Social support was significantly related to expectations regarding aging (r= -.135, p=.034) and health behavior (r= .223, p<.000). There was age-related difference in the relationship between social support and expectations regarding aging (β= .007, p=.038), indicating that the relationship was much stronger in the younger group. In addition, the influence of social support on health behavior through expectations regarding aging was significant in relatively young middle-aged individuals. Our findings emphasize the importance of supportive social relationships, which could affect expectations regarding aging linked to health behavior, especially for young middle-aged individuals. It is necessary to develop psycho-cognitive programs to activate social interaction and to improve positive attitudes toward aging for more active engagement in health behaviors in midlife individuals.

scholarly journals Associations of Hearing Sensitivity, Higher-Order Auditory Processing, and Cognition Over Time in Middle-Aged Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 545-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natascha Merten ◽  
Mary E Fischer ◽  
Ted S Tweed ◽  
Monique M B Breteler ◽  
Karen J Cruickshanks
Keyword(s):  
Test Performance ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Pure Tone Audiometry ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Hearing Sensitivity ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Middle Aged Adults ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background Age-related hearing loss (impairment in hearing sensitivity and/or higher-order auditory processing) and cognitive decline are common co-occurring impairments in elderly adults. Their relation in the process of aging remains insufficiently understood. We aim to assess the temporal relations of decline in hearing sensitivity, higher-order auditory processing, and cognition in middle-aged adults. Methods This study included 1,274 Beaver Dam Offspring Study participants who participated in three examinations (baseline, 5-year, and 10-year follow-up). We assessed hearing sensitivity through pure-tone audiometry (PTA, averaged thresholds of 0.5, 1, 2, 4 kHz of the better ear), higher-order auditory processing as word recognition in competing message (WRCM) using the Northwestern University 6 word list in the better ear, and cognition through trail-making test performance (TMT). Linear mixed-effects models and linear regression models were used to determine associations over time and to what extent these measures influence each other over time. Results The longitudinal decline between all functions was associated with the strongest relationships between PTA and WRCM. The effect of baseline PTA on WRCM 10 years later (standardized ß = –.30) was almost twice as big as the effect of baseline WRCM on PTA 10 years later (standardized ß = –.18). The effect of baseline WRCM on TMT 10 years later and vice versa were small (standardized ß = –.05). No directional relationship between PTA and TMT was identified (standardized ß ≤ .02). Conclusions While hearing sensitivity might affect higher-order auditory processing, associations between hearing and cognition appear bidirectional and weak in midlife. We need to be cautious before inferring causal effects of hearing on cognition.

A-46 Impairments in Memory for “Who”, “When”, and “Where” are Detectable in Middle-Aged Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 905-905
Author(s):  
A Mustafa ◽  
I Beltran-Najera ◽  
P Gilbert ◽  
L Graves ◽  
H Holden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Correct Sequence ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Abstract Objective We conducted a cross-sectional study to examine age-¬related differences in performance on a new test assessing memory for “who, when, and where” and associations among these elements. The test was designed to assess aspects of episodic memory by simulating an everyday experience of meeting a series of different people in different places across time. Method Healthy young (ages 18¬-25), middle-aged (ages 40-55), and older adults (ages 60+) were asked to remember a sequence of pictures of different faces paired with different places. After viewing the sequence, the participants were asked to pair each face with the correct place and put the face-place pairs in the correct sequence. Participants also completed a battery of standardized neuropsychological tests. Results Young adults remembered significantly more face-place pairs in the correct sequence than middle-aged (p < .05) and older adults (p < .05). There were no significant differences between middle-aged and older adults in the number of face-place pairs in correct sequence. Furthermore, young adults remembered significantly more face-place pairs irrespective of sequence than older adults (p < .05). There were no significant differences between young and middle-aged adults or between middle-aged and older adults in the number of correct face-place pairs irrespective of sequence. Conclusions Using a new test that incorporates aspects of episodic memory, we found evidence for age-related differences in test performance beginning in middle age. We found that performance on the test correlated with performance on standardized measures of verbal memory and executive functioning but not visual confrontation naming.

scholarly journals Age-Related Differences of Rumination on the Loneliness-Depression Relationship: Evidence from a Population-Representative Cohort

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Horace Tong ◽  
Wai Kai Hou ◽  
Li Liang ◽  
Tsz Wai Li ◽  
Huinan Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Affective Symptoms ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Abstract Background and Objective This study examined the association of loneliness with depressive symptoms across various age groups. Loneliness is a significant risk factor for precipitating depressive symptoms. Rumination, a mechanism that underpins depression, can become intense when a person feels lonely. In addition, age is a major factor associated with changes in mental and physical health. Thus, the importance of rumination and age in moderating the loneliness–depression link were investigated. Research Design and Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong (February 27 to March 17, 2020). A population-representative sample of 2,018 people (1,126 females; 15–92 years of age) was recruited and interviewed via telephone through random digit dialling. This sample included 394 younger adults (18–30 years), 1,106 middle-aged adults (31–64 years), and 472 older adults (65 years or above). Respondents reported depressive symptoms, subjective loneliness, state rumination, and sociodemographic factors. Results Loneliness and rumination were positively associated with depressive symptoms, and they significantly interacted in predicting cognitive-affective symptoms. Further analysis of age showed that the interaction was only significant only in middle-aged adults and older adults. Both rumination and age interacted with loneliness respectively in predicting cognitive-affective symptoms. Discussion and Implications These findings indicate that the strength of the association between loneliness and the cognitive-affective symptoms of depression depends on rumination levels and age. An intervention to regulate rumination offers a feasible direction for health care and social care aimed at improving older adults’ mental health.

scholarly journals Middle-age Spread of Overweight and Obesity in Ghana; Myth or Reality? Evidence from WHO SAGE Wave 2 Data

2020 ◽  
pp. 20-28
Author(s):  
Michael Rockson Adjei ◽  
Janet Vanessa Baafi ◽  
Salifu Bawa ◽  
Felicia Amoo-Sakyi ◽  
Paulina Clara Appiah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Alcoholic Beverage ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Primary Study ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Community Environments ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Aims: The aim of this study is to describe the age-related risk of overweight/obesity among Ghanaians using data from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Wave 2. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Ghana; 2014-2015. Methodology: Primary study variables were extracted onto Microsoft Excel 14.0 spreadsheet. Secondary variables were generated through grouping, recategorization and combination of primary variables. Descriptive statistics were calculated for age and BMI. Associations between respondents’ characteristics and BMI were evaluated with chi square(χ2) and odds ratio (OR) at 95% confidence level. Results: Data of 1322 respondents were included in data analysis. In all, 520 (39.3%) of the respondents were overweight/obese and nearly half (46.62%) were middle-aged adults. Middle-aged adults were nearly twice as likely to be overweight/obese compared with old adults (AOR=1.62; CI: 1.25-2.10) and the risk was higher for middle-aged females (AOR=2.38; CI: 1.84-3.09). Overall, being middle-aged (OR=1.73; CI: 1.35-2.21); living in an urban community (OR=2.01; CI: 1.61-2.52); being a female (OR=2.69; CI: 2.1-3.44); not engaging in regular physical activity (OR=1.49; CI: 1.18-1.88); and being an occasional drinker of alcoholic beverage (OR=1.58; CI: 1,12-2.22) were significantly associated with overweight/obesity. Conclusion: Obesity/overweight are lifestyle driven phenomenon and can be controlled by risk modification. Public sensitization, imposition of special taxes on sugary beverages, promotion of healthy local staples and creation of enabling community environments to encourage physical activity may be useful approaches in controlling the epidemic.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document