publications and presentations
- Study Presentation
- Social networks in older Australian men and women
Presented to the 2008 Australian Association of Gerontology Conference Body Mass Index and Survival in Men and Women Aged 70 to 75, Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 58:234-241, 2010.
Authors:
Leon Flicker, Kieran McCaul, Graeme J. Hankey, Konrad Jamrozik, Wendy J. Brown, Julie E. Byles, Osvaldo P. Almeida.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To examine in an older population all-cause and cause-specific mortality associated with underweight (body mass index (BMI)<18.5), normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9), overweight (BMI 25.0–29.9), and obesity (BMI=30.0).
DESIGN: Cohort study.
SETTING: The Health in Men Study and the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women’s Health.
PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 70 to 75, 4,677 men and 4,563 women recruited in 1996 and followed for up to 10 years.
MEASUREMENTS: Relative risk of all-cause mortality and cause-specific (cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory disease) mortality.
RESULTS: Mortality risk was lowest for overweight participants. The risk of death for overweight participants was 13% less than for normal-weight participants (hazard ratio (HR)50.87, 95% CI50.78–0.94). The risk of death was similar for obese and normal-weight participants (HR50.98, 95% CI50.85–1.11). Being sedentary doubled the mortality risk for women across all levels of BMI (HR52.08, 95% CI51.79–2.41) but resulted in only a 28% greater risk for men (HR51.28 (95% CI51.14–1.44).
CONCLUSION: These results lend further credence to claims that the BMI thresholds for overweight and obese are overly restrictive for older people. Overweight older people are not at greater mortality risk than those who are normal weight. Being sedentary was associated with a greater risk of mortality in women than in men.Alcohol use and mortality in older men and women, Addiction, In press.
Authors:
Kieran McCaul, Osvaldo Almeida, Graeme Hankey, Konrad Jamrozik, Julie Byles, Leon Flicker
Abstract
Aims: To compare effect of alcohol intake on 10-year mortality for men and women over the age of 65 years. Design and participants: Two prospective cohorts of community-dwelling men aged 65-79 years at baseline in 1996 (n=12203) and women aged 70-75 years in 1996 (n=12432).
Measurements: Alcohol was assessed according to frequency of use (number of days alcohol was consumed per week) and quantity consumed per day. Cox proportional hazards models were compared for men and women for all-cause and cause-specific mortality.
Results: Compared with older adults who did not consume alcohol every week, the risk of all-cause mortality was reduced in men reporting up to four standard drinks per day and in women who consumed one or two drinks per day. One or two alcohol-free days per week reduced this risk further in men, but not in women. Similar results were observed for deaths due to cardiovascular disease.
Conclusions: In people over the age of 65 years, alcohol intake of four standard drinks per day for men and two standard drinks per day for women was associated with lower mortality risk. For men, the risk was further reduced if accompanied with one or two alcohol free days per week.Gender Differences in Social Network Size and Satisfaction in Adults in Their 70s, Journal of Health Psychology, In press
Authors:
Deirdre McLaughlin, Dimitrios Vagenas, Nancy A. Pachana, Nelufa Begum, Annette Dobson.
Abstract
Strong social support is associated with lower mortality and morbidity and better self-rated health in later life. The aim of this study was to compare social network size and satisfaction in men (N = 2589) and women (n = 3152), aged 72–78 years.
Women reported significantly larger networks (Difference 1.36, 95% CI 0.89, 1.83) than men. However, being separated, divorced or single had a significantly greater impact on men’s social networks (Difference 0.92, 95% CI 0.17, 1.68). Poor mental health and sensory impairments were associated with smaller networks and lower satisfaction with support for both men and women.
This project is funded by an ARC/NHMRC Ageing Well, Ageing Productively Strategic Award.
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