Gerontological Evaluation Research Articles

Proximity to public transportation and incidence of depression risk among older adults: A three-year longitudinal analysis from the Japan Gerontological evaluation study.

Depression in older adults has been associated with environmental factors, such as green spaces and walkable neighborhoods; however, evidence on the relationship between proximity to public transportation and mental health is scarce. This multi-municipality longitudinal study examined the association between proximity to public transportation and risk of depression among older adults and considered car usage. We analyzed data from 4947 functionally independent adults, aged 65years and older who resided in 25 municipalities across Japan. Data were obtained via the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study in 2016 and 2019. We assessed depression over three years in older adults without depression at baseline via the Geriatric Depression Scale-15. We subjectively and objectively measured their proximity to public transportation. Logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusted for covariates, with analyses stratified by car usage. Of the participants, 9.76% developed depression over a three-year period. Those without car usage and with reported lack of proximal public transport exhibited a higher incidence of depression (OR=1.60, 95%CI: 1.05-2.42) compared with those who had better access. No significant association was observed in the car user group. Furthermore, no significant association was observed in the analysis that used objective measures with Geographic Information System (GIS) data. Subjective limited access to public transport was significantly associated with the risk of depression among older adults without car usage. Hence, improving and maintaining transportation infrastructure may mitigate the risk of depression.

Examination of the relationship between participation in salons aimed at care prevention through the promotion of social participation and the subsequent cost of care: a 3-year prospective follow-up study in JAGES

Many previous studies have found that social participation improves the health and functional maintenance of older people. However, to determine whether promoting social participation can prevent functional decline in the elderly, it is necessary not only to compare the prognosis of those who participate in social activities to those who do not but also to demonstrate that the intervention was effective in promoting social participation. Although the effect of social participation in preventing caregiving has been demonstrated, the key question is whether preventing functional decline through social participation can reduce care costs. This study aims to examine the relationship between participation in salons aimed at care prevention through the promotion of social participation and the subsequent cost of care. We use the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) dataset to conduct longitudinal, individuallevel analysis. We focus on all residents 65 years and older who did not have a without disability in Taketoyo town and ran three regression analyses. First, a generalized linear model (GLM) with Tweedie distribution and log-link function, as well as robust estimation of variance components was used to estimate the dependent variables. Second, we used an inverse probability weighting (IPW) model to minimize selection bias. Finally, we performed the IV analysis. In this study, the GLM with IPW and IV models revealed link between salon participants and lower caregiving costs. The link between participation and caregiving costs was confirmed in a model with reduced selection bias, rather than in a simple GLM model.

Tooth loss explains income inequalities in dementia.

Socioeconomic inequalities in oral health and dementia exist worldwide. This study investigated the mediating effects of tooth loss on the association between income and dementia. This study used data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, which targeted people aged ≥65 years. The explanatory variable was equivalent income in 2010. The outcome variable was dementia incidence between 2010 and 2022. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to examine the association between income and dementia incidence, adjusting for confounders. We performed causal mediation analyses to evaluate the extent to which the number of natural teeth mediates the association. Among the 21,306 participants, the mean age was 73.4 years, and 53.5 % were females. The cumulative incidence of dementia was 19.7 % for people with higher incomes and 24.0 % for those with lower incomes. People with lower incomes had fewer teeth (the prevalence of having ≥20 teeth: 42.2 % in higher incomes and 31.1 % in lower incomes). Lower income was associated with dementia after adjusting for confounders (Hazard ratio (HR) [95 % confidence interval (CI)]: 1.18 [1.10; 1.26]), which was partially attenuated by controlling for the number of teeth (HR [95 % CI]: 1.17 [1.09; 1.25]). Causal mediation analysis demonstrated that the proportion mediated by the number of teeth was 6.6 %. Our study found that tooth loss partially mediated the association between income and dementia. Preventing tooth loss appears to reduce inequalities in dementia among older people. Tooth loss has mediating effects on the association between income and dementia. Strategies for maintaining natural teeth seem effective in reducing the socioeconomic inequalities of dementia.

Association Between the Community Gatherings Places and the Kihon Checklist Score: JAGES Longitudinal Study.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the number of program types and CGA in community gathering places to gain valid insights into the provision of programs in community gathering places. The study is longitudinal in nature and uses prospective cohort data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. The participants were 8758 older adults recruited from 28 cities and towns. The dependent variable was the CGA using the KCL. The independent variable was the number of program types in community gathering places. The participants were classified under four groups, namely, No Participation, One Type, Two Types, and More Than Three Types. The study performed linear regression analysis. The mean of the KCL scores by the number of types was 3.8 ± 3.3, 3.5 ± 3.0, 3.3 ± 2.9, and 3.2 ± 2.8 points for the four groups, respectively. CGA was better for two and three or more types of program participation. CGA at 3 years was better when the community gathering places implemented two or more types of program.

Association of falls with risk of dementia and all-cause mortality: a cohort study of Japanese older adults with a 9-year follow-up.

Many risk factors affect dementia and all-cause mortality. However, whether falls are a risk factor for dementia and all-cause mortality is unclear. The study examines the association of falls with the risk of dementia and all-cause mortality, and whether dementia mediates the association of falls with all-cause mortality. Data were taken from the Japanese Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) with a 9-year follow-up. Falls information was collected through a questionnaire and categorized into no falls, single and multiple falls. Dementia and all-cause mortality data were obtained from the long-term care insurance (LTCI) system. The Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), and causal mediation analysis (CMA) was used to assess the mediating effects of dementia. A total of 52,076 participants were included in the study. Compared to participants with no falls, participants with single and multiple falls had an increased risk of dementia (single fall, HRs = 1.18, 95% CIs 1.12-1.24; multiple falls, HRs = 1.66, 95% CIs 1.56-1.77) and all-cause mortality (single fall, HRs = 1.09, 95% CIs 1.04-1.15; multiple falls, HRs = 1.34, 95% CIs 1.26-1.43), and the risk increased with the number of falls (P for trend < 0.01). In addition, dementia significantly mediated the association between falls and risk of all-cause mortality (NIE: HRs = 1.02, 95% CIs 1.00-1.04, PM = 15.0%). Falls are associated with the risk of dementia and all-cause mortality. Dementia has important mediating effects in the association between falls and the risk of all-cause mortality.

Corrigendum to’ The association of agricultural and non-agricultural work on the healthy ageing of older adults in Japan: A 6-year longitudinal study from the Japan Gerontological evaluation study’

Corrigendum to’ The association of agricultural and non-agricultural work on the healthy ageing of older adults in Japan: A 6-year longitudinal study from the Japan Gerontological evaluation study’

The association of agricultural and non-agricultural work on the healthy ageing of older adults in Japan: A 6-year longitudinal study from the Japan Gerontological evaluation study.

Many studies have examined the impact of employment on health, but few large-scale longitudinal studies specifically investigate the impact of agricultural labor on the health of older adults. This study aims to identify the health effects of employment on older Japanese adults, focusing on agricultural workers. This study uses longitudinal data collected by the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) from 2013 to 2019. We selected 48,221 older adults out of a total of 65,751 respondents, excluding missing values. The objective variables included healthy ageing, such as dementia, functional disability, loss of healthy life expectancy, and death. Explanatory variables were used to categorize participants into four groups: non-agricultural workers, agricultural workers, retired, and those who have never worked. Seven adjustment variables, including sex, age, and socioeconomic status, were considered. Logistic and modified Poisson regression analyses were employed after imputing missing values. Incidence ranged from 2.6% (dementia) to 17.3% (any level of functional disability). Post-multiple imputation analysis showed significantly lower odds ratios and risk ratios for dementia, functional disability, loss of healthy life expectancy, and death among non-agricultural and agricultural workers compared to retirees. The odds and risk ratios for agricultural workers ranged from 0.45 (dementia) to 0.69 (loss of healthy life expectancy). Compared with retirees, non-agricultural and agricultural workers experience significantly reduced risks for dementia, functional disability, loss of healthy life expectancy, and death. These findings showed potential health benefits associated with continued employment in older age.

Housing conditions and quality of life among older adults with functional limitations living at home: a cross-sectional study from Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study-Home Care

Housing conditions and quality of life among older adults with functional limitations living at home: a cross-sectional study from Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study-Home Care

Association Between Visual Impairment and Daily Internet Use Among Older Japanese Individuals: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study.

Older adults might not use computers due to psychological barriers, environmental barriers such as not owning a computer or lack of internet access, and health-related barriers such as difficulties with fine motor skills, low cognitive function, or low vision. Given the health benefits of internet use among older adults, inadequate use of the internet is an urgent public health issue in many countries. We aimed to determine whether visual impairment is associated with internet use in a population-based sample of older adults. This cross-sectional study sourced data for the year 2016 from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. It included functionally independent community-dwelling individuals aged ≥65 years (N=19,452) in Japan. The respondents reported their visual status by answering the question, "Is your eyesight (without or with usual glasses or corrective lenses) excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?" We defined "internet user" as a person who uses the internet "almost daily." We used multivariate logistic regression with multiple imputations to analyze visual status, daily internet use, and any correlations between them. We observed that 23.6% (4599/19,452) of respondents used the internet almost daily. Respondents with good visual status notably tended to use the internet more frequently than those with poor visual status. Specifically, 13% and 31% of respondents with poor and excellent vision, respectively, used the internet almost daily. In contrast, 66% and 45% of respondents with poor and excellent vision, respectively, did not use the internet. Even after adjusting for several covariates (age, sex, equivalized income, years of education, marital status, depression, history of systemic comorbidities, frequency of meeting friends, and total social participation score), significant associations persisted between visual status and daily internet usage. The odds ratios (ORs) tended to increase as visual status improved (P for trend <.001). The adjusted ORs for individuals with excellent and very good visual status who used the internet almost daily were 1.38 (95% CI 1.22-1.56) and 1.25 (95% CI 1.15-1.36), respectively. Conversely, the adjusted OR for those with fair or poor visual status was 0.73 (95% CI 0.62-0.86). In this study, we reaffirmed what several previous studies have pointed out using a very large dataset; visual impairment negatively impacted daily internet use by older adults. This highlights the need to address visual impairments to promote web use as health care services become more easily accessed on the web.

Changes in leisure activity, all-cause mortality, and functional disability in older Japanese adults: The JAGES cohort study.

Leisure activities provide various health benefits for older adults. However, few studies have examined changes in leisure activities and health. This study aimed to determine the association among changes in leisure activities, subsequent all-cause mortality, and functional disability. Using a longitudinal, prospective cohort design, we analyzed data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) in 2010 and 2013 merged with government data on death and long-term care needs by 2020. Changes in leisure activity were defined as four-category exposure based on a question about leisure activities: those with leisure activities in both 2010 and 2013, those who started leisure activities in 2013, those without leisure activities in both 2010 and 2013 (reference group), and those who stopped leisure activities in 2013. All-cause mortality and functional disability were defined as onset during the 6-year follow-up from the 2013 survey. We applied the inverse probability of censoring and treatment-weighted methods for analyses using Cox proportional hazards models, where missingness was addressed using multiple imputation. The study included 38,125 participants with a mean age of 72.8 ± 5.5 years at baseline, and 46.9% were male. Among those without leisure activities between 2010 and 2013 and those who started leisure activities in 2013, mortality rates by 2020 were 28.6% and 21.1%, and functional disability rates were 24.6% and 18.1%, respectively; and in analyses with the inverse probability of censoring and treatment-weighted methods, the hazard ratio for mortality was 0.82 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.75-0.90) and 0.89 (95% CI, 0.79-1.01) for functional disability, respectively. Initiation of leisure activities among the older adults was associated with a lower risk of mortality and functional disability over the subsequent 6 years compared to older adults who did not report initiating any leisure activities.

Digital Gaming and Subsequent Health and Well-Being Among Older Adults: Longitudinal Outcome-Wide Analysis.

Digital gaming has become increasingly popular among older adults, potentially offering cognitive, social, and physical benefits. However, its broader impact on health and well-being, particularly in real-world settings, remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the multidimensional effects of digital gaming on health and well-being among older adults, using data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study conducted in Matsudo City, Chiba, Japan. Data were drawn from 3 survey waves (2020 prebaseline, 2021 baseline, and 2022 follow-up) of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, which targets functionally independent older adults. The exposure variable, digital gaming, was defined as regular video game play and was assessed in 2021. In total, 18 outcomes across 6 domains were evaluated in 2022; domain 1-happiness and life satisfaction, domain 2-physical and mental health, domain 3-meaning and purpose, domain 4-character and virtue, domain 5-close social relationships, and domain 6-health behavior. Furthermore, 10 items from the Human Flourishing Index were included in domains 1-5, with 2 items for each domain. Overall flourishing was defined as the average of the means across these 5 domains. In addition, 7 items related to domains 2, 5, and 6 were assessed. The final sample consisted of 2504 participants aged 65 years or older, with questionnaires containing the Human Flourishing Index randomly distributed to approximately half of the respondents (submodule: n=1243). Consequently, we used 2 datasets for analysis. We applied targeted maximum likelihood estimation to estimate the population average treatment effects, with Bonferroni correction used to adjust for multiple testing. Digital gaming was not significantly associated with overall flourishing or with any of the 5 domains from the Human Flourishing Index. Although initial analyses indicated associations between digital gaming and participation in hobby groups (mean difference=0.12, P=.005) as well as meeting with friends (mean difference=0.076, P=.02), these associations did not remain significant after applying the Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. In addition, digital gaming was not associated with increased sedentary behavior or reduced outdoor activities. This study provides valuable insights into the impact of digital gaming on the health and well-being of older adults in a real-world context. Although digital gaming did not show a significant association with improvements in flourishing or in the individual items across the 5 domains, it was also not associated with increased sedentary behavior or reduced outdoor activities. These findings suggest that digital gaming can be part of a balanced lifestyle for older adults, offering opportunities for social engagement, particularly through hobby groups. Considering the solitary nature of gaming, promoting social gaming opportunities may be a promising approach to enhance the positive effects of digital gaming on well-being.

Taiso practice and risk of functional disability and dementia among older adults in Japan: The JAGES cohort study

BackgroundTaiso is a Japanese term encompassing meanings akin to calisthenics. Taiso is a widely used exercise program in Japan but whether it prevents functional disability and dementia remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the association between practicing Taiso, especially focusing on the well-known Radio-Taiso, and functional disability and dementia in older adults in Japan. MethodsThis population-based prospective cohort study used data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES). The participants were 18,016 people aged 65 years or older who resided in 19 municipalities in Japan and were not certified as needing long-term care at the start of follow-up. The outcomes were all functional disability, moderate-to-severe functional disability, and dementia, during an average of 5.3 years of follow-up. Four groups were created based on type of Taiso practice (None, Radio-Taiso only, Other Taiso only, or Both). The Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age, sex, equivalized income, educational attainment, household composition, employment status, diseases requiring treatment, activities of daily living, depression, cognitive impairment, and walking duration. ResultsThe analysis included data from 11,219 individuals. The mean age of respondents was 74.2 years and 46.3% were men. Compared with the no-practice group, the Other Taiso only group showed a notably decreased risk of all functional disability (hazard ratio [95% CI] 0.87 [0.78–0.96]). The Other Taiso only group was associated with a significant reduction in the hazard ratio for moderate-to-severe functional disability (0.81 [0.70–0.93]). Decreases in the hazard ratio for dementia were also observed in the Radio-Taiso only (0.82 [0.68–0.9998]) and Other Taiso only groups (0.81 [0.70–0.93]). ConclusionsPracticing Taiso, including Radio-Taiso, may reduce the risk of dementia in older adults, while practicing other types of Taiso may reduce the risk of functional disability.

Neighborhood environment and falls: a longitudinal Japan gerontological evaluation study

Abstract Background Older adults who experience falls are at a high risk of injury and death and require long-term care. Notably, the risk of falls varies among different neighborhood environments. No prior longitudinal studies have examined the association between falls and neighborhood environment at the community level. Identifying such associations will help prevent people falling by improving their neighborhood environment. Herein, we aimed to identify neighborhood environmental factors associated with falls among older adults in Japan. Methods We analyzed the data of 27,346 older adults living in 416 communities who participated in the 2010, 2013, and 2016 Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study surveys. The dependent variable was the occurrence of falls in 2016, and the explanatory variables were the mean scores of each of eight community-level neighborhood environment variables, categorized into tertiles (high, middle, and low groups) in 2013. Our model was adjusted for covariates (e.g., sex, age, and socioeconomic status) using the variables from 2010. A multilevel Poisson regression analysis was performed to obtain the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) between the neighborhood environment and falls. Missing variable values were supplemented by multiple imputations. Results Older adults living in neighborhood environments with more parks or foot paths suitable for exercise or walking had a lower risk of falling after 3 years compared to those living in neighborhood environments with fewer parks or foot paths (RR: 0.89; CI: 0.80-0.99). For the variable ‘locations difficult for walking, such as hills or steps’, older adults in the middle group had a lower risk of falling than those in the low group (RR: 0.94; CI: 0.88-0.99). Conclusions Parks or foot paths are important environmental improvements that may prevent falls. Having hills or steps in the neighborhood could be beneficial when properly integrated into the environment. Key messages • Older adults with access to parks, footpaths, and challenging terrains suitable for exercise and walking, had a lower risk of falling. • These findings could be applied in urban designs to prevent falls among older adults.

Serviced Housing for Older People and Prevention of Functional Decline: A One-year Follow-up Study in Japan.

Serviced Housing for Older People (SHOP) is a community-based housing model in Japan that provides barrier-free apartments and support services for residents. Whether the SHOP model has positive effects on residents' health remains unclear. This follow-up study examines the association between living in SHOPs and functional decline. Using data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, we compared functional decline risks at one-year follow-up between older adults living in conventional housing (n = 2202) and SHOP residents (n = 160). Functional decline risk was assessed using the Kihon Checklist (KCL) and Care-Need Risk Assessment Scale (CNRAS). SHOPs residents had lower KCL and CNRAS scores than older adults living in conventional housing. In sensitivity analyses, these associations remained unchanged. The results, thus, showed that residing in SHOPs was associated with reduced functional decline; therefore, SHOPs designed to support residents' physical and social health could be important for supporting aging in place.

Association between internet use and annual health checkups among older Japanese adults: propensity score-matched analysis, Japan gerontological evaluation study cross-sectional study 2016

BackgroundThe integration of the Internet into daily life has potential implications for public health, especially in promoting preventive healthcare measures like annual health checkups. This study explores the association between Internet use and the likelihood of participating in these checkups among older Japanese citizens.MethodsParticipants aged 65 and older were randomly selected from 37 municipalities in Japan, ensuring they required no long-term care. Out of 24,313 responses to a postal questionnaire, 11,495 participants were deemed eligible for analysis, achieving a valid participation rate of 70.1%. We applied propensity score matching to balance Internet users and non-users, resulting in 6,504 matched cases. Poisson regression analysis was then used to adjust for demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral variables that could act as potential confounders.ResultsOur findings show that 55.1% of participants used the Internet several times a month, and among these, 63.5% had attended an annual health checkup in the preceding year. After adjusting for potential confounders, Internet users were found to be 9% more likely to participate in annual health checkups compared to non-users (95% Confidence Interval: 1.02–1.15).ConclusionsThis study concludes that there is a positive association between Internet use and participation in annual health checkups among older individuals in Japan. The results suggest that Internet use may serve as a tool to promote preventive healthcare practices in older populations. However, the study underscores the need for further investigation to understand the underlying mechanisms of this association and to establish a causal relationship.

Childhood Socioeconomic Status Affects Dental Pain in Later Life.

Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with increased dental pain among children. Lower SES in childhood may also contribute to the experience of dental pain among older adults, regardless of the SES in later life. However, this association is still unclear. We used cross-sectional data from the 2019 Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study using self-administrated questionnaires to investigate the causal mediating pathways between childhood SES and dental pain in later life using several SES variables collected at older age as potential mediators. A total of 21,212 physically and cognitively independent participants aged 65 y or older were included in the analysis. The dependent variable was experiencing dental pain during the past 6 mo. The independent variable was the SES at the age of 15 y (low/middle/high). Ten covariates were selected covering demographics and other domains. Education, subjective current income, objective current income, objective current property ownership, and the number of remaining teeth were used as mediators. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for dental pain by childhood SES were calculated using a modified Poisson regression model. The mean age of the study participants was 74.5 ± 6.2 y, and 47.5% were men. Of these, 6,222 participants (29.3%) experienced dental pain during the past 6 mo, and 8,537 participants (40.2%) were of low childhood SES. Adjusted for covariates and mediators, the participants with middle and high childhood SES had a lower PR of dental pain (PR = 0.93 [95%, CI 0.89-0.98], PR = 0.79 [95% CI, 0.73-0.85], respectively). Almost 40% of the association between childhood SES and dental pain at older age was mediated via SES in later life and the number of teeth. This study reemphasizes the importance of support for early-life SES to maintain favorable oral health outcomes at an older age. The results of this study can be used by policymakers to promote policies based on a life-course approach that supports children living in communities with low SES and helps them maintain favorable oral health outcomes into their older age.

Internet Use and Higher-Level Functional Capacity Decline Suppression in Japanese Older Adults With Low Education: JAGES 2016-2019 Longitudinal Study.

Higher-level functional capacity (HLFC) is crucial for the independent living of older adults. While internet use positively impacts the health of older adults, its effect on HLFC and how this effect varies with educational attainment remains uncertain. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate whether internet use could mitigate the risk of HLFC decline and if this benefit extends to older adults with lower levels of education. The data were sourced from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), encompassing 8050 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older from 2016 to 2019. The study focused on those who remained self-sufficient from 2016 to 2019, identifying participants with independent HLFC in 2016. The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence defined HLFC operationally, consisting of 3 subscales, namely instrumental activities of daily living, intellectual activity, and social role. The primary variable was the frequency of internet use in 2016; participants who reported using the internet were classified as internet users, while those who answered "No" were identified as nonusers. The study compared the effects of internet use on HLFC decline across educational levels of ≤9 years, 10-12 years, and ≥13 years using Poisson regression analysis adjusted for robust SE to calculate the risk ratio (RR) and 95% CI for HLFC decline in 2019. After adjusting for demographic and health condition risk factors, internet use was significantly linked to a decreased risk of HLFC decline in older adults over 3 years, including those with lower educational levels. Internet users with ≤9 years of educational attainment experienced a suppressed decline in the total score (RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.43-0.76; P<.001); instrumental activities of daily living (RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.38-0.91; P=.02), intellectual activity (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41-0.89; P=.01), and social role (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.56-0.97; P=.03) compared with nonusers. Participants with 10-12 years of education showed suppression rates of 0.78 (95% CI 0.63-0.98; P=.03), 0.59 (95% CI 0.39-0.90; P=.01), 0.91 (95% CI 0.63-1.31; P=.61), and 0.82 (95% CI 0.68-1.00; P=.05), respectively, and those with ≥13 years displayed suppression rates of 0.65 (95% CI 0.51-0.85; P=.001), 0.55 (95% CI 0.36-0.83; P=.01), 0.64 (95% CI 0.37-1.10; P=.11), and 0.83 (95% CI 0.64-1.08; P=.17), respectively. These findings indicate that internet use supports the maintenance of HLFC independence in older adults with higher education and those with lower educational levels. Encouraging internet use among older adults with lower levels of education through future policies could help narrow functional health disparities associated with educational attainment.

Prevention of Age-Related-Increases in the Risks of Incident Functional Disability and Dementia by Home-Delivered Functional Dairy Product Consumption in Japanese Older Adults.

Dairy products formulated with bioactives are widely distributed in Japan, but it remains to be clear whether a regular consumption of these products would help reduce the risks of incidental functional disability and dementia in older adults. This study aimed to investigate Japanese subjects aged ≥65 y (n=629) that routinely consumed three functional dairy products, a calcium-enriched milk supplemented with Bifidobacterium longum BB536, a yogurt supplemented with lactoferrin, B. longum BB536 and heat-killed Lacticaseibacillus paracasei MCC1849, and a drinkable yogurt supplemented with lactoferrin, B. longum BB536 and heat-killed L. paracasei MCC1849, through a home delivery service. Intake frequency and intake duration of these functional dairy products were compared with the risk scores of incident functional disability and dementia, developed by the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. In the participants aged <75 y, the incident functional disability risk was significantly maintained or decreased in the participants with the long intake duration level compared with the short intake duration level (OR, 95% CI: 0.48, 0.25-0.93). In the participants aged ≥75 y, the dementia risk was significantly maintained or decreased in the participants with the high intake frequency level compared with the low intake frequency level (OR, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.22-0.95). A high intake frequency or long term duration of these functional dairy products may be effective in preventing an aging-related increase in the risks of incident functional disability and dementia in older adults, but this warrants further investigation using different products containing different bioactives.

Does arts and cultural group participation influence subsequent well-being? A longitudinal cross-country comparison of older adults in Japan and England

IntroductionArts engagement is a positive health behaviour that could support the mental and social well-being of ageing populations globally. However, research is predominantly from Western countries, leaving it unclear whether...

Differences in Cumulative Long-Term Care Costs by Dental Visit Pattern Among Japanese Older Adults: The JAGES Cohort Study.

Long-term care (LTC) costs create burdens on aging societies. Maintaining oral health through dental visits may result in shorter LTC periods, thereby decreasing LTC costs; however, this remains unverified. We examined whether dental visits in the past 6 months were associated with cumulative LTC insurance (LTCI) costs. This cohort study of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study targeted independent adults aged≥65 years in 2010 over an 8-year follow-up. We used data from a self-reported questionnaire and LTCI records from the municipalities. The outcome was cumulative LTCI costs, and exposure was dental visits within 6 months for prevention, treatment, and prevention or treatment. A 2-part model was used to estimate the differences in the predicted cumulative LTCI costs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each dental visit. The mean age of the 8 429 participants was 73.7 years (standard deviation [SD] = 6.0), and 46.1% were men. During the follow-up period, 17.6% started using LTCI services. The mean cumulative LTCI cost was USD 4 877.0 (SD = 19 082.1). The predicted cumulative LTCI costs were lower among those had dental visits than among those who did not. The differences in predicted cumulative LTCI cost were -USD 1 089.9 (95% CI = -1 888.5 to -291.2) for dental preventive visits, -USD 806.7 (95% CI = -1 647.4 to 34.0) for treatment visits, and -USD 980.6 (95% CI = -1 835.7 to -125.5) for preventive or treatment visits. Dental visits, particularly preventive visits, were associated with lower cumulative LTCI costs. Maintaining oral health through dental visits may effectively reduce LTCI costs.