Events In Later Life Research Articles

Early-life gut bacterial community structure predicts disease risk and athletic performance in horses bred for racing

Gut bacterial communities have a profound influence on the health of humans and animals. Early-life gut microbial community structure influences the development of immunological competence and susceptibility to disease. For the Thoroughbred racehorse, the significance of early-life microbial colonisation events on subsequent health and athletic performance is unknown. Here we present data from a three-year cohort study of horses bred for racing designed to explore interactions between early-life gut bacterial community structure, health events in later life and athletic performance on the racetrack. Our data show that gut bacterial community structure in the first months of life predicts the risk of specific diseases and athletic performance up to three years old. Foals with lower faecal bacterial diversity at one month old had a significantly increased risk of respiratory disease in later life which was also associated with higher relative abundance of faecal Pseudomonadaceae. Surprisingly, athletic performance up to three years old, measured by three different metrics, was positively associated with higher faecal bacterial diversity at one month old and with the relative abundance of specific bacterial families. We also present data on the impact of antibiotic exposure of foals during the first month of life. This resulted in significantly lower faecal bacterial diversity at 28 days old, a significantly increased risk of respiratory disease in later life and a significant reduction in average prize money earnings, a proxy for athletic performance. Our study reveals associations between early-life bacterial community profiles and health events in later life and it provides evidence of the detrimental impact of antimicrobial treatment in the first month of life on health and performance outcomes in later life. For the first time, this study demonstrates a relationship between early-life gut bacterial communities and subsequent athletic performance that has implications for athletes of all species including humans.

Impacts of Negative and Positive Life Events on Development of Social Frailty among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the impact of negative and positive life events on the development of social frailty. DesignPopulation-based longitudinal study. Setting and ParticipantsThis study was set in the Japanese community cohort and included 2174 adults aged ≥65 years without social frailty at baseline. MethodsWe assessed the experiences of 6 negative and positive life events (increase in economic difficulties, illness or injury of spouse, death of family or friends, marriage of children or grandchildren, birth of grandchildren or great-grandchildren, and making new friends) in the 15 months after baseline. We followed the social frailty status of the participants and identified the development of social frailty 48 months after the baseline. Social frailty was operationally defined as having 2 or more of Makizako's 5 items (going out less frequently, rarely visiting friends, not feeling helpful to friends or family, living alone, and not talking to someone daily). ResultsAmong 2174 participants without social frailty at baseline, 161 (7.4%) developed social frailty after 48 months. Multivariate logistic regression models on each life event and development of social frailty showed that illness or injury of spouse was significantly associated with a higher risk of subsequent social frailty [adjusted odds ratio (OR), 1.74; 95% CI, 1.10–2.74] and making new friends was significantly associated with lower risk of subsequent social frailty (adjusted OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.27–0.54). No significant ORs of social frailty were found for other life events. Conclusions and ImplicationsLife events in later life have both positive and negative impacts on the development of social frailty, depending on the nature of the event. To prevent social frailty, it may be important to monitor negative life events and promote positive life events in later life.

Long-term physical activity time-in-target range in young adults with cardiovascular events in later life.

Achieving at least 150 min per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA) is a 'Class I, A level' recommendation for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, long-term PA is a complex behaviour and varied by lifetime, which was insufficiently reflected by the current studies. This study used time-in-target range (TTR) to measure the long-term PA level during young adulthood and investigated its relationship with cardiovascular events in later life. Participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study were recruited (n = 2902) and allocated into four groups by PA TTR: <25% (n = 1028), 25 to <50% (n = 444), 50 to <75% (n = 424), 75 to 100% (n = 1006). TTR was estimated with linear interpolation across the first 15 years. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular events. The mean (SD) age after the exposure period was 40.3 (3.6) years. After a median follow-up for an additional 18.9 years, the participants with a TTR of at least 75% had a 40% lower risk of the primary outcome (HR: 0.60; 95%CI: 0.38 to 0.95) compared with the lowest TTR group. Each 1-SD increase in TTR was also significantly associated with a 21% decreased risk of the primary outcome (HR: 0.79; 95%CI: 0.65-0.97). Increasing PA is essential in young adulthood. In young adults, maintaining long-term guidelines-recommended PA levels may help to lower the risk of cardiovascular events in later life. Maintaining the guidelines-recommended PA level for at least 75% of time across young adulthood may be preferable.

Association of adverse pregnancy outcomes with cardiovascular risk profile in later life - lessons learned from a large prospective population-based cohort-study

Abstract Background An increased cardiovascular risk profile in parous women in later life has been related to maternal outcomes of pregnancy such as hypertension, diabetes, excessive weight gain as well as fetal outcomes such as preterm birth or excessive birth weight. Methods Using data from a large, monocenter, prospective, long-term, population-based cohort, we analysed self-reported data on pregnancy, risk factors and health status of 1,970 women. We examined the correlations between gestational hypertension (gHTN), gestational diabetes (gDM) and excessive weight gain during pregnancy with hypertension (HTN), diabetes (DM), hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) and body-mass-index (BMI) in later life. Regarding adverse fetal outcomes, we investigated correlations between preterm birth and later hysterectomy/ovariectomy of parous women and birth weight of &amp;gt;4,000 g with parous women’s BMI in later life. The Wilcoxon rank sum test and the Pearson's Chi-squared test were carried out to prove associations. Further logistic regression analyses are planned to assess cardiovascular outcomes such as myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure and atrial fibrillation in these parous women. The p-value of 0.05 was defined as a standard for significance. Results The median age of 1,970 women upon examination was 63 years. The proportion of gestational hypertension was 8.7%. 18% of women gained more than 20 kg and 2.4% had diabetes during pregnancy. 10% delivered newborns with a birth weight of &amp;lt;2,500 g. 14% delivered newborns with a birth weight of &amp;gt;4,000 g. 19% were smokers and had hyperlipoproteinaemia, 59% were hypertensive and 33% had metabolic syndrome. We found positive correlations between gestational hypertension and hypertension in later life as well as between gestational diabetes and diabetes mellitus. Excessive weight gain during pregnancy was found to relate to elevated BMI in later life as well as current smoking status. Excessive weight gain during pregnancy did, however, not relate to HLP. High birth weight of &amp;gt;4,000 g correlated with elevated BMI in later life. Conclusions In a population-based sample, we were able to demonstrate that pregnancy-related manifestations of cardiovascular risk factors are indeed related to an increased risk profile in later life. There is a profound need for better individual risk stratification in women based on pregnancy-related data in order to deliver optimised early preventative strategies and potentially reduce cardiovascular events in later life.

The association between adverse events in later life and mortality in older individuals

BackgroundStress can have adverse impacts on health, particularly when it is chronic or resulting from major adverse events. Our study investigated whether relatively common adverse events in older individuals were associated with an increased risk of death, as well as cause-specific death and potential gender differences. MethodsParticipants were 12896 community-dwelling Australians aged ≥70 years at enrolment into the ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) study and without known life-limiting disease. A questionnaire administered in the year after enrolment, collected information on ten adverse events experienced in the past year. Mortality status was verified by multiple sources including health records and the National Death Index across a maximum of 10 years. Underlying causes of death were determined using clinical information by two adjudicators. Cox-proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate mortality risk. ResultsTwo of the ten adverse events were associated with an increased risk of mortality in fully adjusted models. A 69% increased risk of mortality was observed in participants who reported their spouse/partner had recently died (95% CI: 1.19–2.39, P < 0.01). Cancer-related but not cardiovascular deaths also increased. Participants with a seriously ill spouse/partner also had a 23% increased risk of mortality (HR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.02–1.48, P = 0.03). There was a tendency for these associations to be stronger among men than women. LimitationsPerceived stress and cortisol were not measured, thus limiting our understanding of the psychological and physiological impacts of adverse events. ConclusionsExperiencing adverse events in later-life, especially the death of a spouse/partner, may be a risk factor for earlier mortality. These findings may increase public health awareness and better inform initiatives for particular groups, including bereaved men.

Plasma amino acid signature for sarcopenic phenotypes in community-dwelling octogenarians: Results from the Kawasaki Aging Wellbeing Project

Sarcopenia is one of the primary risk factors for various adverse health events in later life. However, its pathophysiology in the very old population remains unclear. Hence, this study aimed to examine whether plasma free amino acids (PFAAs) correlate with major sarcopenic phenotypes (i.e., muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance) in community-dwelling adults aged 85–89 years living in Japan. Cross-sectional data from the Kawasaki Aging Well-being Project were used. We included 133 adults aged 85–89 years. In this study, fasting blood was collected to measure 20 plasma PFAAs. Measures for the three major sarcopenic phenotypes included appendicular lean mass assessed by multifrequency bioimpedance, isometric handgrip strength, and gait speed from a 5 m walk at a usual pace. Furthermore, we used phenotype–specific elastic net regression models adjusted for age centered at 85 years, sex, body mass index, education level, smoking status, and drinking habit to identify significant PFAAs for each sarcopenic phenotype. Higher histidine and lower alanine levels were associated with poor gait speed, but no PFAAs correlated with muscle strength or mass. In conclusion, PFAAs such as plasma histidine and alanine are novel blood biomarkers associated with physical performance in community-dwelling adults aged 85 years or older.

Dietary patterns explaining variations in blood biomarkers in young adults are associated with the 30-year predicted cardiovascular disease risks in midlife: A follow-up study

Background and aimsTo examine a combined effect of dietary intakes, blood lipid and insulin resistance in young adulthood on the risk of predicted CVD through midlife. Methods and resultsData of young adults from a birth cohort study in Australia were used. Reduced rank regression (RRR) and partial least squares (PLS) methods identified dietary patterns rich in meats, refined grains, processed and fried foods, and high-fat dairy and low in whole grains and low-fat dairy from dietary intakes obtained at 21-years, and blood lipids and measures of insulin resistance measured at 30-years of age. Using standard CVD risk factors measured at 30-years of age, the Framingham Heart Study risk-prediction algorithms were used to calculate the 30-year predicted Framingham CVD risk scores. The scores represent Hard CVD events; coronary death, myocardial infarction and stroke and Full CVD events; Hard CVD plus coronary insufficiency and angina pectoris, transient ischaemic attack, intermittent claudication, and congestive heart failure in midlife. Sex-specific upper quartiles of CVD risk scores were used to define high-risk groups. Modified Poisson regression models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) with 95% CI. Greater adherence to the diet identified applying RRR in young adulthood was associated with higher risks of predicted Hard CVD (RR: 1.60; 1.14, 2.25) and Full CVD (RR: 1.46; 1.04, 2.05) events in midlife. The diet from PLS showed similar trend of association for the risk of predicted Hard CVD events (RR: 1.49; 1.03, 2.16) in adjusted models. ConclusionDietary patterns associated with variations in blood lipids and insulin resistance in young adulthood are associated with increased risks of predicted CVD events in midlife. The findings suggest that diet induced altered blood lipids and insulin resistance in the life course of young adulthood could increase the risks of CVD events in later life.

Characteristics of people who have received treatment for late-onset problem drinking and alcohol use disorder: A systematic review and narrative synthesis.

Aims: The current review investigated the psychosocial characteristics of late-onset problem drinkers, an under-researched area of alcohol harm that accounts for one-third of older problem drinkers. Method: Following the PRISMA model, the protocol and search strategy included a scoping search and main search of nine databases. A total of 1,595 papers were identified; after screening, 26 papers were considered eligible and were included in the review. The review used an investigative framework comprising three categories: standardising age of onset; gender differences; and psychosocial and mental health characteristics. The review also investigated how meaning and purpose in life, and treatment have been reported in relation to this cohort. Findings/Conclusions: The combined onset ages of the reviews' 26 papers (mean age = 52.69 years) and the participants' self-reported age at onset (mean age = 56.79 years), suggest that late-onset alcohol use disorder (AUD)/problem drinking is likely to emerge at the age of 55 years and older. Moreover, there is a high prevalence of co-morbid mental health disorders among elderly, late-onset drinkers. Retirement was reported as the most prevalent psychosocial risk factor for late-onset problematic drinking; other late-life events included bereavement, loneliness and social isolation, and boredom. In the context of gender, women are at greater risk of developing late-onset problem drinking than men. Furthermore, late-onset problem drinkers, particularly women, are more treatment compliant than their early-onset counterparts, highlighting the case for bespoke treatments/interventions for late-onset problem drinkers. Finally, the role that meaning and purpose in life plays in late-onset problem drinking has been under-reported and requires further investigation.

What will you do with all that time? Changes in leisure activities after retirement are determined by age-related self-views and preparation

Retirement is a normative life transition that liberates the individual from the external obligations of employment, being a catalyzer of leisure activity engagement. However, the individual's motivations to engage in leisure activities in the time that is gained after retirement may depend on their future self-views (i.e., views of their own ageing) as well as on their levels of preparation for age-related changes. In this study, therefore, we aim to examine longitudinal changes in levels of engagement in leisure activities that occur around the age of retirement as being influenced by views on ageing and preparation for old age. The sample consisted of 451 persons aged 50–65 years at baseline who participated in the Ageing as Future study at two time points 5 years apart. Participants were split in three age-matched groups: recently retired (in between baseline and follow-up), already retired (at baseline), and individuals who were still working (at follow-up). Findings indicated that changes in levels of leisure differed between groups. Compared to both already retired and still working participants, recently retired participants increased their levels of engagement in leisure activities. Positive views on ageing in the leisure domain (at baseline) predicted subsequent increases in activity levels but group and levels of preparation qualified this effect. A combination of positive views on ageing and preparation for age-related changes is needed for one to make use of the time that is gained with retirement, highlighting their role as determinants of behavior in response to normative life events in later life.

Early Mild Stress along with Lipid Improves the Stress Responsiveness of Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus).

Early-life exposure to mild stressors can assist animals in coping with more stressful events in later life. This study was aimed at investigating how early stress and dietary lipid contents affect growth, hematology, blood biochemistry, immunological responses, antioxidant system, liver enzymes, and stress responses of oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) (6.8 ± 0.7 g). Six experimental treatments were HL0Stress (high-lipid diet and without stress), HL2Stresses (high-lipid diet and two-week stress), HL4Stresses (high-lipid diet and four-week stress), LL0Stress (low-lipid diet and without stress), LL2Stresses (low-lipid diet and two-week stress), and LL4Stresses (low-lipid diet and four-week stress). During the ten-week trial, fish fed high-lipid diets grew faster (46.41 ± 4.67 vs. 38.81 ± 2.81) and had a lower feed conversion ratio (2.21 vs. 2.60) than those fed low-lipid diets (P < 0.05). After acute confinement stress (AC stress), high-lipid groups had higher survival than low-lipid treatments (81.25% vs 72.92%) (P < 0.05). Fish subjected to two-time stress (2Stresses) had a higher survival rate after AC stress (90.63% vs. 62.50%), hematocrit, white blood cell, blood performance, total protein, high-density lipoproteins, cholesterol, triglyceride, alternative complement activity (ACH50), superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and alkaline phosphatase levels than those not stressed (P < 0.05). Contrariwise, glucose, cortisol, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels were significantly lower in the 2Stresses groups compared with 0Stress fish (P < 0.05). Collectively, these findings suggest stressing the signs of adaptation in 2Stresses fish. However, a higher number of early stress events (4Stresses) appears to exceed the threshold of manageable stress levels for this species. In conclusion, the HL2Stresses group outperformed the other treatments in terms of growth, health status, and stress responsiveness. Although fish welfare must be considered, these results suggest that early mild stress can result in a greater survival rate after fish are exposed to later acute stress.

Approach to Hypertension in Adolescents and Young Adults.

The prevalence of hypertension in adolescents and young adults has increased in part due to the obesity epidemic. The clinical impact and future cardiovascular risk of this underestimated public health problem is an evolving field. The development of hypertension is predicted by tracking of elevated blood pressure from childhood to adulthood. Young hypertensive individuals have lower awareness, slower diagnosis rates, and poorer blood pressure control than older patients. Increased awareness, appropriate screening, early identification, and individualized treatment approaches for elevated blood pressure could prevent development of hypertension in adulthood and cardiovascular events in later life. The optimal blood pressure management for young adults with a low 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease of < 10% remains challenging due to lack of randomized controlled trials. Evidence-based recommendations are needed to implement appropriate measures for time of treatment initiation, preferred antihypertensive drug class to be used and optimal target blood pressure level from childhood through young adulthood.

Adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults in the United States

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic is a constraint to leisure behaviour of historic proportions. Paradoxically, it might also be a catalyst for a reconsideration of the importance of leisure to well-being in later life. This paradox, on a smaller scale, was addressed previously by Kleiber. In their examination of how factors constraining behaviour may actually produce enduring benefits for individuals. The proposition explored in this paper is that COVID-19 and its concomitant circumstances and social problems provoke an alteration in leisure activity and experience in the process of adjusting not only to the pandemic but also to the aging process. Prominent theories of adaptation in later life suggest that the changes that occur in response to negative events in later life are more limited than those occurring in earlier adulthood and that older adults may have resilience for dealing with its effects. This paper focuses on two categories of positive constraint outcomes from the model of beneficial constraint developed by Kleiber et al. (2008). An examination of data from a variety of sources provides limited support for occurrence of these aspects of the model and for its special relevance to this pandemic period.

Partnership and Cognitive Aging in Europe: Mediating Factors and Social Stratification.

ObjectivesLiving in a partnership has been shown to benefit later life health in general and decrease the risk of cognitive impairment. Few studies have, however, examined whether different types of partnership transitions also differ with respect to their impact on cognitive trajectories, and whether financial resources, healthy behaviors, cognitive stimulation, and social integration can explain these differences.MethodsData came from six waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, which is a representative panel for the population aged 50 years or older, and were collected between 2004 and 2017 in 20 European countries. Our sample includes 215,989 valid person-year observations from 78,984 persons. The mean age at baseline is 64 years, and individuals were observed on average 2.7 times. Cognitive functioning was assessed with measures of immediate and delayed recall on a memory test and verbal fluency. Fixed effects regression models were employed to exploit individual-level variation in partnership and simultaneous cognitive changes.ResultsPartnership status was stable in most respondents (around 90%). Compared to remaining partnered and after controlling for sociodemographic factors, transition to divorce was associated with a steeper decline in immediate and delayed recall. Exploring possible mechanisms, both financial resources and social integration, explained these differences. Additional analyses suggested that effects were mostly driven by individuals with lower education.DiscussionPartnership transitions remain infrequent events in later life, but our findings indicate that they can induce less favorable cognitive trajectories compared to partnered individuals, particularly for those with lower cognitive reserve.

Childhood adversities, late-life stressors and the onset of depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults

Objective: Depression is common in older individuals though many factors associated with its occurrence remain under-researched. We examined whether childhood adversities (CAs) and late-life stressors are associated with the onset of depressive symptoms in adults aged ≥ 65 and if these early- and late-life stressors interact in the prediction of depressive symptoms. Methods: Data came from the 2010 and 2013 waves of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) (N = 8701). The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was used to assess the presence of depressive symptoms (GDS ≥ 5). A Poisson regression analysis was used to examine associations. Results: Both CAs (1 event: incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.41–1.79; ≥ 2 events: IRR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.80–3.10) and late-life stressful events (1 event: IRR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.02–1.25; ≥ 2 events: IRR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.05–1.50) were significantly associated with the onset of depressive symptoms. Borderline significant interactions between CAs and late-life stressors (e.g. ≥ 2 CAs and ≥ 2 late-life events: IRR = 0.61, p = 0.087) suggest that late-life stressors may be important in predicting the onset of depressive symptoms especially among individuals with no or fewer CAs compared to those with ≥ 2 CAs. Conclusions: Stressful events in childhood and late adulthood were independently associated with the onset of depressive symptoms in older adults. In addition, stressful experiences in childhood might affect how individuals respond to stressful events in later life.

Association between high blood pressure and long term cardiovascular events in young adults: systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveTo evaluate and quantify the future risk of cardiovascular events in young adults with high blood pressure.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesMedline, Embase, and Web of Science were searched from inception...

Alcohol use in young adults associated with cortical gyrification

BackgroundYoung adulthood has the highest rates of alcohol use and high-risk drinking behavior. This period is also a critical neurodevelopmental stage, with neural insults having a profound neurotoxic effect on the brain. Cortical gyrification is thought, in part, to reflect early brain maturation (e.g., hypogyrification in fetal alcohol syndrome). There is also evidence that cortical gyrification is sensitive to later-life events (e.g., fluctuations in malnutrition in young adults). However, no study has examined how alcohol use in young adulthood is associated with cortical gyrification. MethodsWe examined the associations between cortical gyrification with lifetime alcohol use and past year hangover symptoms in young adults (N = 78). ResultsLifetime alcohol use was associated with hypogyria in multiple cortical regions (rs ≤ -.27, ps ≤ .0159; right orbitofrontal, right temporal pole, and left lateral occipital). Further, past year hangover symptoms were associated with hypogyria (rs ≤ -.27, ps ≤ .0034), overlapping with lifetime alcohol use (right orbitofrontal and left lateral occipital). Hangover symptoms were also uniquely associated with hypogyria of other cortical regions (rs ≤ -.30, ps ≤ .0002; right parahippocampal gyrus, left inferior temporal/parahippocampal gyrus and right anterior insula). ConclusionsThus, results suggest that young adulthood is a critical period for targeted prevention and intervention, especially for individuals exhibiting heavy alcohol consumption and high-risk drinking behavior.

Association of Blood Pressure Patterns in Young Adulthood With Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in Middle Age

Determining blood pressure (BP) patterns in young adulthood that are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in later life may help to identify young adults who have an increased risk for CVD. To determine whether the long-term variability of BP across clinical visits and the rate of change in BP from young adulthood to midlife are associated with CVD and all-cause mortality by middle age, independently of mean BP during young adulthood and a single BP in midlife. This prospective cohort study included a community-based sample of 3394 African American and white participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study, enrolled from March 1985 through June 1986. Patterns of systolic BP (SBP) were evaluated with measurements at year 0 (baseline) and 2, 5, 7, and 10 years after baseline. Visit-to-visit SBP variability was estimated as BP variability independent of the mean (VIM). Data were collected from March 1985 through August 2015 and analyzed from June through October 2019. Cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality experienced through August 2015 were adjudicated. The associations of each SBP pattern with CVD events and all-cause mortality were determined using Cox proportional hazards regression models. At year 10, the mean (SD) age of the 3394 participants was 35.1 (3.6) years; 1557 (45.9%) were African American; 1892 (55.7%) were women; and 103 (3.0%) were taking antihypertensive medication. During a median follow-up of 20.0 (interquartile range, 19.4-20.2) years, 162 CVD events and 181 deaths occurred. When all BP pattern measurements were entered into the same model including a single SBP measurement at the year 10 examination, the hazard ratios for CVD events for each 1-SD increase in SBP measures were 1.25 (95% CI, 0.90-1.74) for mean SBP, 1.23 (95% CI, 1.07-1.43) for VIM SBP, and 0.99 (95% CI, 0.81-1.26) for annual change of SBP. The VIM for SBP was the only BP pattern associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.09-1.41). The results of this study suggest that the assessment of visit-to-visit SBP variability may help identify young adults at increased risk for CVD and all-cause mortality later in life.

Loneliness Following Widowhood: The Role of the Military and Social Support

Increased loneliness is a common consequence of widowhood in later life. However, individuals with high levels of perceived social support from friends tend to cope more effectively following major social losses like widowhood. Military service is associated with cultivation of strong social support structures. This effect may not only influence those who serve, but also their spouses. Roughly half of older women today are married to veterans, which could shape how they cope with widowhood. We tested two hypotheses: (a) widows of veterans will be less lonely following widowhood compared to their nonveteran counterparts, and (b) this effect will be explained by perceived social support from friends. We used the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to examine changes in loneliness following widowhood among wives of veterans and nonveterans. We used Ordinary Least Squares regression and mediation tests to address our hypotheses. Net of baseline differences, widows of veterans reported statistically lower levels of loneliness (p < .05) following widowhood compared to widows of nonveterans. Widows of veterans retained the same level of perceived social support from friends pre- and postwidowhood, whereas nonveteran wives experienced a loss. Perceived social support from friends mediated the association between veteran status of the deceased spouse and loneliness. Our findings suggest wives of veterans may have more resilient social support structures than nonveteran spouses, helping them cope at widowhood. Future research should explore whether these effects persist in association with other major stressful events in later life.

AGE-RELATED TRENDS IN BLOOD PRESSURE BASED ON LARGE-SCALE HEALTH CHECKUP DATA USING LONGITUDINAL ANALYSIS

Objective: Information on the change in blood pressure (BP) during the life course is essential from both clinical and public health standpoints. Most studies demonstrating age-related trends in BP were based on cross-sectional data. Since an elevated BP at a younger age results in fatal cardiovascular events in later life, the cross-sectional study design contributes to an underestimation of BP in elderly individuals. The present study involved longitudinal analysis to assess age-related trends in BP, using large-scale data. Design and method: We received data of health check-up conducted between 2008–2017 and used a total of 2,235,055 observations from 386,760 individuals aged between 30–74 years in the JMDC database, which contains multiple health checkup data from the Japanese health insurance societies. The age-related trends in BP were estimated using a repeated-measures mixed linear model including age, sex, and an interaction between age and sex. We cross-sectionally summarized the prevalence rate of hypertension and antihypertensive treatment rate among hypertensives in each age group. Results: The number of follow-up examinations without baseline visit was < 2, 3, 4, or > = 5 in 14,453 (3.8%), 33,468 (8.7%), 139,961 (36.2%), and 198,878 (51.4%), respectively. Systolic BP increased consistently from 121.1 mmHg at 36 years to 129.7 mmHg at 66 years in men and from 109.7 mmHg at 33 year to 131.9 mmHg at 74 years in women. The diastolic BP increased from 72.1 mmHg mmHg at 30 years to 80 mmHg at 56 years in men and from 64.7 mmHg at 30 years to 74.6 mmHg at 64 years but decreased after the peak. The prevalence rate of hypertension increased linearly with age; the rates at the age of 60 years were 51.8% for men and 39.5% for women. The antihypertensive treatment rate increased with age but was less than 50% before 50 years.Conclusions: Systolic BP increased linearly with age. There was an inverse-U shaped age-related trend in diastolic BP and the time of the peak in women was approximately ten years later than that in men. The present findings also suggest that the antihypertensive treatment rate in young adults should be enhanced.

Genetics of epigenome might hold the clue for determining the threshold of environmental impact.

Genetics of epigenome might hold the clue for determining the threshold of environmental impact.