A Biological Age Model Designed for Health Promotion Interventions: Protocol for an Interdisciplinary Study for Model Development.

Karina Louise Skov Husted,Karina Louise Skov Husted,Andreas Brink-Kjær,Flemming Dela,Flemming Dela,Mathilde Fogelstrøm,Jørn Wulff Helge,Kaj-Åge Henneberg,Helge Bjarup Dissing Sorensen,Pernille Hulst

doi:10.2196/19209

Karina Louise Skov Husted, Karina Louise Skov Husted + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.2196/19209

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Abstract

BackgroundActions to improve healthy aging and delay morbidity are crucial, given the global aging population. We believe that biological age estimation can help promote the health of the general population. Biological age reflects the heterogeneity in functional status and vulnerability to disease that chronological age cannot. Thus, biological age assessment is a tool that provides an intuitively meaningful outcome for the general population, and as such, facilitates our understanding of the extent to which lifestyle can increase health span.ObjectiveThis interdisciplinary study intends to develop a biological age model and explore its usefulness.MethodsThe model development comprised three consecutive phases: (1) conducting a cross-sectional study to gather candidate biomarkers from 100 individuals representing normal healthy aging people (the derivation cohort); (2) estimating the biological age using principal component analysis; and (3) testing the clinical use of the model in a validation cohort of overweight adults attending a lifestyle intervention course.ResultsWe completed the data collection and analysis of the cross-sectional study, and the initial results of the principal component analysis are ready. Interpretation and refinement of the model is ongoing. Recruitment to the validation cohort is forthcoming. We expect the results to be published by December 2021.ConclusionsWe expect the biological age model to be a useful indicator of disease risk and metabolic risk, and further research should focus on validating the model on a larger scale.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03680768, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03680768 (Phase 1 study); NCT04279366 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04279366 (Phase 3 study).International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/19209

Highlights

Healthy aging is of paramount importance when considering the trajectory of future aging populations [1,2]
We expect the biological age model to be a useful indicator of disease risk and metabolic risk, and further research should focus on validating the model on a larger scale
We propose that biological age can be used as an outcome measure to quantify the overall placement of an individual on the healthy aging trajectory and their susceptibility to disease, which are useful in the context of primary and secondary health promotion interventions

Summary

Introduction

Healthy aging is of paramount importance when considering the trajectory of future aging populations [1,2]. Some people can understand the risk connected with these risk factors, they may be unaware of the extent to which their lifestyle affects their capability of maintaining youthful vigor and delaying morbidity to an older age. Such awareness might be pivotal and motivate changes in health behavior. Biological age assessment is a tool that provides an intuitively meaningful outcome for the general population, and as such, facilitates our understanding of the extent to which lifestyle can increase health span

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Conclusion