Caerphilly Prospective Study Research Articles

Predictors and prognosis of population-based subjective cognitive decline: longitudinal evidence from the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS)

ObjectivesTo understand associations between the subjective experience of cognitive decline and objective cognition. This subjective experience is often conceptualised as an early step towards neurodegeneration, but this has not been...

Relationship between the consumption of dairy foods and markers of glycaemic control: evidence from the Caerphilly prospective cohort study

Relationship between the consumption of dairy foods and markers of glycaemic control: evidence from the Caerphilly prospective cohort study

Decline in Cognition from Mid-Life Improves Specificity of Mini-Mental State Examination: Diagnostic Test Accuracy in Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPs).

The merit of using baseline cognitive assessments in mid-life to help interpret cross-sectional cognitive tests scores in later life is uncertain. Evaluate how accuracy for diagnosing dementia is enhanced by comparing cross-sectional results to a midlife measure. Cohort study of 2,512 men with repeated measures of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) over approximately 10 years. Index test MMSE at threshold of 24 indicating normal, as a cross-sectional measure and in combination with decline in MMSE score from mid-life. Reference standard consensus clinical diagnosis of dementia by two clinicians according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). 1,150 men participated at phase 4 of whom 75 had dementia. A cross-sectional MMSE alone produced a sensitivity of 60% (50% to 70%) and specificity 95% (94% to 97%) with a threshold of≥24 points indicating normal. For lower-scoring men in late life, with cross sectional scores of < 22, combining cross-sectional AND a three-point or more decline over time had a sensitivity of 52% (39% to 64%) and specificity 99% (99% to 100%). For higher-scoring men in later life, with cross sectional scores < 26 combining cross-sectional OR decline of at least three points had a sensitivity of 98% (92% to 100%) and specificity 38% (32% to 44%). It may be helpful in practice to formally evaluate cognition in mid-life as a baseline to compare with if problems develop in future, as this may enhance diagnostic accuracy and classification of people in later life.

Amateur Boxing and Dementia: Cognitive Impairment Within the 35-Year Caerphilly Cohort Study.

To examine the long-term effects of amateur boxing in a representative population sample of men. The sample was examined every 5 years for 35 years. Cognition was assessed repeatedly from the third examination. Previous boxing experience and dementia were assessed at the fifth examination, and dementia assessed subsequently through medical records. The Caerphilly Prospective Study investigates risk factors for a range of chronic diseases of diseases. These include life style and behavior, together with biological factors relevant to vascular disease. 1123 adult men aged 45 to 59 years at baseline, followed for 35 years. Cognitive impairment. A report by a subject of having boxed "seriously" when younger was associated with a 2-fold increase in cognitive impairment [odds ratio (OR) = 2.27; 95% confidence intervals = 1.18-4.38]. For amnestic (Alzheimer-like) impairment, this rises to OR = 2.78 (95% confidence limits 1.37-5.65). Having boxed is associated with an "advancement" in the onset of the dementia (4.8 years; 95% confidence limits 0.9-8.8 years). Amateur boxing is associated with an increased risk and an earlier onset of cognitive impairment and dementia.

Sleep and the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia: further insights from the Caerphilly Prospective Study

AimsSleep disorders are highly prevalent with growing evidence that sleep problems may predict cognitive decline and dementia. A previous analysis of the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS), a cohort of middle-aged men, found that daytime sleepiness predicted vascular dementia and cognitive impairment. We have re-examined this hypothesis with additional events based on further follow-up. The study aimed to examine the role of different sleep problems in predicting cognitive impairment not dementia (CIND) and dementia. Our hypothesis was that sleep problems in mid-life would predict CIND and dementia in later life.MethodCaPS is a population cohort of men born between 1920 and 1935 and resident in Caerphilly in South Wales, first seen between 1979–1983. Cognitive tests and a sleep questionnaire were introduced at Phase III (men aged 55–69 years). The questionnaire asked about daytime dysfunction, hypnotic use, insomnia, napping, nocturnal limb movements, sleep apnoea, sleep duration, sleep latency and snoring.At Phase V (men aged 68–82 years), poor performance on the Cambridge Cognition Exam (CAMCOG) was used to select men for detailed clinical assessment. Subjects were classified as having normal cognition, CIND or dementia. Cognitive disorders were sub-classified as vascular or non-vascular. At Phase VII (men aged 78–92 years), new cases were identified and survivors with existing diagnoses were reassessed.We initially conducted separate logistic regressions for vascular and non-vascular cognitive outcomes with the individual sleep measures, but where there was no evidence of heterogeneity, we combined these outcomes to enhance power. We also ran ordered logistic regression models to test for association of our sleep measures with CIND and dementia from any cause, with no cognitive problems as the reference group. All models were adjusted for potential confounders such as age and lifestyle variables.ResultThere were 256 cases of CIND, 155 dementia and 118 vascular cognitive disorders. 889 had normal cognition. Nocturnal limb movements strongly predicted vascular cognitive disorders (OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.34–4.98, p = 0.004). Poor sleep duration, defined as less than 6 or more than 8 hours, predicted all-cause CIND and all-cause dementia (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.01–2.61, p = 0.045). The other sleep measures showed weak associations consistent with chance.ConclusionWe have provided further evidence that sleep problems predict cognitive decline, justifying the growing interest in sleep as a potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia. Future evidence is required from intervention studies that attempt to improve sleep parameters.

Direct and conceptual replications of the taxometric analysis of type a behavior.

We present direct and conceptual replications of the influential taxometric analysis of Type A Behavior (TAB; Strube, 1989), which reported evidence for the latent typology of the construct. Study 1, the direct replication (N = 2,373), duplicated sampling and methodological procedures of the original study, but results showed that the item indicators used in the original study lacked sufficient validity to unambiguously determine latent structure. Using improved factorial subscale indicators to further test the question, multiple taxometric procedures, in combination with parallel analyses of simulated data, failed to replicate the original typological finding. Study 2, the conceptual replication, tested the latent structure of the wider construct of TAB using the sample from the Caerphilly Prospective Study (N = 2,254), which contains responses to the three most widely used self-report measures of TAB: the Jenkins Activity Survey, Bortner scale, and Framingham scale. Factorial subscale indicators were derived from the measures and submitted to multiple taxometric procedures. Results of Study 2 converged with those of Study 1, providing clear evidence of latent dimensional structure. Overall, results suggest there is no evidence for the type in TAB. Findings imply that theoretical models of TAB, assessment practices, and data analytic procedures that assume a typology should be replaced by dimensional models, factorial subscale measures, and corresponding statistical approaches. Specific subscale measures that tap multiple Big Five trait domains, and show evidence of predictive utility, are also recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Dietary patterns and hearing loss in older men enrolled in the Caerphilly Study

The association between dietary patterns (DP) and prevalence of hearing loss in men enrolled in the Caerphilly Prospective Study was investigated. During 1979-1983, the study recruited 2512 men aged 45-59 years. At baseline, dietary data were collected using a semi-quantitative FFQ, and a 7-d weighed food intake (WI) in a 30 % subsample. Five years later, pure-tone unaided audiometric threshold was assessed at 0·5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified three DP and multiple logistic and ordinal logistic regression models examined the association with hearing loss (defined as pure-tone average of frequencies 0·5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz >25 dB). Traditional, healthy and high-sugar/low-alcohol DP were found with both FFQ and WI data. With the FFQ data, fully adjusted models demonstrated significant inverse association between the healthy DP and hearing loss both as a dichotomous variable (OR=0·83; 95 % CI 0·77, 0·90; P<0·001) and as an ordinal variable (OR=0·87; 95 % CI 0·81, 0·94; P<0·001). With the WI data, fully adjusted models showed a significant and inverse association between the healthy DP and hearing loss (OR=0·85; 95 % CI 0·73, 0·99; P<0·03), and a significant association between the traditional DP (per fifth increase) and hearing loss both as a dichotomous variable (OR=1·18; 95 % CI 1·02, 1·35; P=0·02) and as an ordinal variable (OR=1·17; 95 % CI 1·03, 1·33; P=0·02). A healthy DP was significantly and inversely associated with hearing loss in older men. The role of diet in age-related hearing loss warrants further investigation.

Development and Validation of a Path Length Calculation for Carotid–Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity Measurement

Current distance measurement techniques for pulse wave velocity (PWV) calculation are susceptible to intercenter variability. The aim of this study was to derive and validate a formula for this distance measurement. Based on carotid femoral distance in 1183 whole-body magnetic resonance angiograms, a formula was derived for calculating distance. This was compared with distance measurements in 128 whole-body magnetic resonance angiograms from a second study. The effects of recalculation of PWV using the new formula on association with risk factors, disease discrimination, and prediction of major adverse cardiovascular events were examined within 1242 participants from the multicenter SUMMIT study (Surrogate Markers of Micro- and Macrovascular Hard End-Points for Innovative Diabetes Tools) and 825 participants from the Caerphilly Prospective Study. The distance formula yielded a mean error of 7.8 mm (limits of agreement =-41.1 to 56.7 mm; P<0.001) compared with the second whole-body magnetic resonance angiogram group. Compared with an external distance measurement, the distance formula did not change associations between PWV and age, blood pressure, or creatinine (P<0.01) but did remove significant associations between PWV and body mass index (BMI). After accounting for differences in age, sex, and mean arterial pressure, intercenter differences in PWV persisted using the external distance measurement (F=4.6; P=0.004), whereas there was a loss of between center difference using the distance formula (F=1.4; P=0.24). PWV odds ratios for cardiovascular mortality remained the same using both the external distance measurement (1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.24; P=0.001) and the distance formula (1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.28; P<0.001). A population-derived automatic distance calculation for PWV obtained from routinely collected clinical information is accurate and removes intercenter measurement variability without impacting the diagnostic utility of carotid-femoral PWV.

Dairy foods and body mass index over 20-years: evidence from Caerphilly Prospective Study

Dairy foods and body mass index over 20-years: evidence from Caerphilly Prospective Study

Association between egg consumption and cardiovascular disease events, diabetes and all-cause mortality

PurposeThe association between egg consumption and cardiovascular disease (CVD) or type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains controversial. We investigated the association between egg consumption and risk of CVD (primary outcome), T2D and mortality in the Caerphilly prospective cohort study (CAPS) and National Diet and Nutritional Survey (NDNS).MethodsCAPS included 2512 men aged 45–59 years (1979–1983). Dietary intake, disease incidence and mortality were updated at 5-year intervals. NDNS included 754 adults aged 19–64 years from 2008 to 2012.ResultsMen free of CVD (n = 1781) were followed up for a mean of 22.8 years, egg consumption was not associated with new incidence of CVD (n = 715), mortality (n = 1028) or T2D (n = 120). When stroke (n = 248), MI (n = 477), heart failure (n = 201) were investigated separately, no associations between egg consumption and stroke and MI were identified, however, increased risk of stroke in subjects with T2D and/or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT, fasting plasma glucose ≥ 6.1 mmol/L), adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) were 1.0 (reference), 1.09 (0.41, 2.88), 0.96 (0.37, 2.50), 1.39 (0.54, 3.56) and 2.87 (1.13, 7.27) for egg intake (n) of 0 ≤ n ≤ 1, 1 < n ≤ 2, 2 < n ≤ 3, 3 < n < 5, and n ≥ 5 eggs/wk, respectively (P = 0.01). In addition, cross-sectional analyses revealed that higher egg consumption was significantly associated with elevated fasting glucose in those with T2D and/or IGT (CAPS: baseline P = 0.02 and 5-year P = 0.04; NDNS: P = 0.05).ConclusionsHigher egg consumption was associated with higher blood glucose in subjects with T2D and/or IGT. The increased incidence of stroke with higher egg consumption among T2D and/or IGT sub-group warrants further investigation.

Adherence to a healthy diet in relation to cardiovascular incidence and risk markers: evidence from the Caerphilly Prospective Study

PurposeEpidemiological findings indicate that higher adherence to a healthy diet may lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. The present study aimed to investigate whether adherence to a healthy diet, assessed by the Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score, and Alternative Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI-2010), was associated with CVD incidence and risk markers.MethodsIncluded in the present analyses were data from 1867 middle-aged men, aged 56.7 ± 4.5 years at baseline, recruited into the Caerphilly Prospective Study. Adherence to a healthy diet was examined in relation to CVD, coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke incidence (Cox regression), and risk markers (linear regression) with adjustment for relevant confounders.ResultsThe DASH score was inversely associated with CVD [hazard ratio (HR) 0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66, 0.99], and stroke (HR 0.61; 95% CI 0.42, 0.88) incidence, but not with CHD after an average of 16.6 year follow-up, and with diastolic blood pressure, after 12 year follow-up. The AHEI-2010 was inversely associated with stroke (HR 0.66; 95% CI 0.42, 0.88) incidence, aortic pulse wave velocity, and C-reactive protein. The HDI was not associated with any single outcome.ConclusionsHigher DASH and AHEI-2010 scores were associated with lower CVD and stroke risk, and favourable cardiovascular health outcomes, suggesting that encouraging middle-aged men to comply with the dietary recommendations for a healthy diet may have important implications for future vascular disease and population health.

Dietary Patterns in Relation to Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Risk Markers in a Middle-Aged British Male Population: Data from the Caerphilly Prospective Study.

Dietary behaviour is an important modifiable factor in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. The study aimed to identify dietary patterns (DPs) and explore their association with CVD incidence and risk markers. A follow-up of 1838 middle-aged men, aged 47–67 years recruited into the Caerphilly Prospective Cohort Study at phase 2 (1984–1988) was undertaken. Principal component analysis identified three DPs at baseline, which explained 24.8% of the total variance of food intake. DP1, characterised by higher intakes of white bread, butter, lard, chips and sugar-sweetened beverages and lower intake of wholegrain bread, was associated with higher CVD (HR 1.35: 95% CI: 1.10, 1.67) and stroke (HR 1.77; 95% CI: 1.18, 2.63) incidence. DP3, characterised by higher intakes of sweet puddings and biscuits, wholegrain breakfast cereals and dairy (excluding cheese and butter) and lower alcohol intake, was associated with lower CVD (HR 0.76; 95% CI: 0.62, 0.93), coronary heart disease (HR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.90) and stroke (HR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.47, 0.99) incidence and a beneficial CVD profile at baseline, while DP1 with an unfavourable profile, showed no clear associations after 12 years follow-up. Dietary pattern 2 (DP2), characterised by higher intake of pulses, fish, poultry, processed/red meat, rice, pasta and vegetables, was not associated with the aforementioned outcomes. These data may provide insight for development of public health initiatives focussing on feasible changes in dietary habits.

Clinical history for diagnosis of dementia in men: Caerphilly Prospective Study.

Diagnosis of dementia often requires specialist referral and detailed, time-consuming assessments. To investigate the utility of simple clinical items that non-specialist clinicians could use, in addition to routine practice, to diagnose all-cause dementia syndrome. Cross-sectional diagnostic test accuracy study. Participants were identified from the electoral roll and general practice lists in Caerphilly and adjoining villages in South Wales, UK. Participants (1225 men aged 45-59 years) were screened for cognitive impairment using the Cambridge Cognitive Examination, CAMCOG, at phase 5 of the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS). Index tests were a standardised clinical evaluation, neurological examination, and individual items on the Informant Questionnaire for Cognitive Disorders in the Elderly (IQCODE). Two-hundred and five men who screened positive (68%) and 45 (4.8%) who screened negative were seen, with 59 diagnosed with dementia. The model comprising problems with personal finance and planning had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.86 to 0.97), positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 23.7 (95% CI = 5.88 to 95.6), negative likelihood ratio (LR-) of 0.41 (95% CI = 0.27 to 0.62). The best single item for ruling out was no problems learning to use new gadgets (LR- of 0.22, 95% CI = 0.11 to 0.43). This study found that three simple questions have high utility for diagnosing dementia in men who are cognitively screened. If confirmed, this could lead to less burdensome assessment where clinical assessment suggests possible dementia.

Egg consumption and cardiovascular disease events – evidence from the Caerphilly prospective cohort study

Egg consumption and cardiovascular disease events – evidence from the Caerphilly prospective cohort study

The Role of IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 in Male Cognitive Aging and Dementia Risk: The Caerphilly Prospective Study

The increasing incidence of cognitive impairment and dementia in an aging population poses a significant burden on healthcare. Consequently, identifying modifiable physiological factors which may influence the onset of cognitive decline are becoming increasingly important. Previous studies have suggested an association between levels of insulin-like growth factors and cognitive function. To investigate whether low IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGF molar ratio is associated with greater cognitive decline and increased risk of dementia. We examined prospective associations between IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 and cognitive function in the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS) (n = 746 men) from samples obtained around 1986, with assessment in around 2003 for clinical diagnosis of cognitive impairment but no dementia (CIND) or dementia, as well as with CAMCOG scores at three phases. A one standard deviation increase in IGF-II was associated with a reduced odds ratio for CIND (0.76, 95% CI 0.60, 0.96) which hardly altered after further adjustment for confounders. A one standard deviation increase in IGFBP-3 among participants without dementia or CIND was associated with greater decline in cognition (p = 0.002) equivalent to 2.4 years difference in age. All the associations between IGF-I and our outcomes were consistent with chance. In this study of men, we found that both IGF-II and IGFBP-3 are associated with normal age-related cognitive decline and clinical pathology associated with CIND, but we failed to replicate previous associations with IGF-I. Assuming these findings are replicated, they may provide new insights into potential biological mechanisms that underlie age-related cognitive changes and development of dementia.

Neighbourhood green space, physical function and participation in physical activities among elderly men: the Caerphilly Prospective study

BackgroundThe built environment in which older people live plays an important role in promoting or inhibiting physical activity. Most work on this complex relationship between physical activity and the environment has excluded people with reduced physical function or ignored the difference between groups with different levels of physical function. This study aims to explore the role of neighbourhood green space in determining levels of participation in physical activity among elderly men with different levels of lower extremity physical function.MethodUsing data collected from the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS) and green space data collected from high resolution Landmap true colour aerial photography, we first investigated the effect of the quantity of neighbourhood green space and the variation in neighbourhood vegetation on participation in physical activity for 1,010 men aged 66 and over in Caerphilly county borough, Wales, UK. Second, we explored whether neighbourhood green space affects groups with different levels of lower extremity physical function in different ways.ResultsIncreasing percentage of green space within a 400 meters radius buffer around the home was significantly associated with more participation in physical activity after adjusting for lower extremity physical function, psychological distress, general health, car ownership, age group, marital status, social class, education level and other environmental factors (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.05, 1.41). A statistically significant interaction between the variation in neighbourhood vegetation and lower extremity physical function was observed (OR = 1.92, 95% CI 1.12, 3.28).ConclusionElderly men living in neighbourhoods with more green space have higher levels of participation in regular physical activity. The association between variation in neighbourhood vegetation and regular physical activity varied according to lower extremity physical function. Subjects reporting poor lower extremity physical function living in neighbourhoods with more homogeneous vegetation (i.e. low variation) were more likely to participate in regular physical activity than those living in neighbourhoods with less homogeneous vegetation (i.e. high variation). Good lower extremity physical function reduced the adverse effect of high variation vegetation on participation in regular physical activity. This provides a basis for the future development of novel interventions that aim to increase levels of physical activity in later life, and has implications for planning policy to design, preserve, facilitate and encourage the use of green space near home.

Urban built environment configuration and psychological distress in older men: Results from the Caerphilly study

BackgroundFew studies have examined the impact of the built environment configuration upon mental health. The study examines the impact of objectively assessed land use and street network configuration upon psychological distress and whether this association is moderated by the natural environment and area-level deprivation.MethodsIn a community sample of 687 older men from the Caerphilly Prospective Study, built environment morphological metrics (morphometrics) were related to differences in psychological distress as measured by the General Health Questionnaire. Cross-sectional data were taken from the most recent (5th) phase. A multi-level analysis with individuals nested within census-defined neighbourhoods was conducted. Environmental measures comprised GIS-constructed land use and street network metrics, slope variability and a satellite derived measure of greenness.ResultsReduced psychological distress was associated with residing in a terraced dwelling (OR = 0.48, p = 0.03), higher degrees of land-use mix (OR = 0.42, p = 0.03 for the high tertile) and having higher local-level street-network accessibility (‘movement potential’) (OR = 0.54, p = 0.03). Hillier topography with higher slope variability was associated with increased risks of psychological distress (OR = 1.38, p = 0.05).ConclusionsThe findings support our hypothesis that built environment configuration is independently associated with psychological distress. The study underscores the need for effective intervention in the planning and design of residential built environment to achieve the goal of health-sustaining communities.

Is fatty acid intake a predictor of arterial stiffness and blood pressure in men? Evidence from the Caerphilly Prospective Study

Background and aimsArterial stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and all-cause mortality and may be differentially affected by dietary fatty acid (FA) intake. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between FA consumption and arterial stiffness and blood pressure in a community-based population. Methods and resultsThe Caerphilly Prospective Study recruited 2398 men, aged 45–59 years, who were followed up at 5-year intervals for a mean of 17.8-years (n 787). A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire estimated intakes of total, saturated, mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids (SFA, MUFA, PUFA). Multiple regression models investigated associations between intakes of FA at baseline with aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV), augmentation index (AIx), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) and pulse pressure after a 17.8-year follow-up – as well as cross-sectional relationships with metabolic markers. After adjustment, higher SFA consumption at baseline was associated with higher SBP (P = 0.043) and DBP (P = 0.002) and after a 17.8-year follow-up was associated with a 0.51 m/s higher aPWV (P = 0.006). After adjustment, higher PUFA consumption at baseline was associated with lower SBP (P = 0.022) and DBP (P = 0.036) and after a 17.8-year follow-up was associated with a 0.63 m/s lower aPWV (P = 0.007). ConclusionThis study suggests that consumption of SFA and PUFA have opposing effects on arterial stiffness and blood pressure. Importantly, this study suggests that consumption of FA is an important risk factor for arterial stiffness and CVD.

Does Dairy Food Intake Predict Arterial Stiffness and Blood Pressure in Men?

Arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease events and mortality, and like blood pressure, may be influenced by dairy food intake. Few studies have investigated the effects of consumption of these foods on prospective measures of arterial stiffness. The present analysis aimed to investigate the prospective relationship between milk, cheese, cream, and butter consumption and aortic pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as cross-sectional relationships between these foods and systolic and diastolic blood pressure and metabolic markers using data from the Caerphilly Prospective Study. Included in this cohort were 2512 men, aged 45 to 59 years, who were followed up at 5-year intervals for a mean of 22.8 years (number follow-up 787). Augmentation index was 1.8% lower in subjects in the highest quartiles of dairy product intake compared with the lowest ( P trend=0.021), whereas in the highest group of milk consumption systolic blood pressure was 10.4 mm Hg lower ( P trend=0.033) than in nonmilk consumers after a 22.8-year follow-up. Cross-sectional analyses indicated that across increasing quartiles of butter intake, insulin ( P trend=0.011), triacylglycerol ( P trend=0.023), total cholesterol ( P trend=0.002), and diastolic blood pressure ( P trend=0.027) were higher. Across increasing groups of milk intake and quartiles of dairy product intake, glucose ( P trend=0.032) and triglyceride concentrations ( P trend=0.031) were lower, respectively. The present results confirm that consumption of milk predicts prospective blood pressure, whereas dairy product consumption, excluding butter, is not detrimental to arterial stiffness and metabolic markers. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms that underpin these relationships.

Built environment configuration and change in body mass index: The Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS)

There exist no long term longitudinal studies assessing BMI trends of older adults in relation to the built environment. We employed cohort data from the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS) to analyze the long term independent associations between a broad set of built environmental factors and change in BMI measured at three time points over a 12-year period. Built environment morphological metrics (morphometrics) used include measures of land use accessibility and space syntax modelled street network accessibility. A multilevel modelling framework was adopted wherein measurement occasions were nested within individuals and individuals were nested within LSOA census areas. BMI was observed to be significantly (p<0.05) associated with a number of built environment factors including mix; density of retail, churches, recreational and leisure services; street network accessibility as well as slope variability. Controlling for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors and for vascular diseases had negligible impact upon the influence of built environmental factors highlighting the importance of urban design and planning in community public health interventions.