Physical Health Indicators Research Articles

Assessing the evidence for health benefits of low-level weight loss: a systematic review.

Individuals with excess weight are at a higher risk for various physical and mental health conditions. Interventions targeting weight loss can improve health, with modest weight loss of five to ten percent of body weight often considered clinically meaningful for enhancing health outcomes. However, the benefits of achieving low-level weight loss ( < 5% body weight) are poorly understood. We aimed to systematically review relevant literature and synthesise the evidence that assessed the potential health benefits of losing less than five percent body weight. We searched seven academic databases and included studies in any language, from any country, with no time constraints. We included any intervention studies that assessed the impact of less than five percent weight loss on any measured physical or mental health markers or indices. 70 studies from 68 articles were included, with study participants ranging from 14 to 10,742. In total, 137 health markers were assessed, categorised into metabolic markers (n = 42), cardiovascular markers (n = 32), anthropometric measures (n = 19), quality of life indices (n = 10), inflammatory biomarkers (n = 10), renal and hepatic markers (n = 9), psychosocial and behavioural measures (n = 8), pulmonary function (n = 3), total mortality (n = 2), ovulatory function (n = 1), and muscle strength (n = 1). Overall, 60% of studies reported improvements, 37% found no change or mixed results, and 3% observed a worsening of health markers or indices. Based on the available data, 87% of participants (n = 15,839) in the studies reported improvements in health markers or indices as a result of low-level weight loss. Our findings suggest that low-level weight loss can lead to various health benefits and challenges the conventional threshold for effective weight loss.Preregistration The review protocol was pre-registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023406342).

Weighing‐up long‐term psychological support for bariatric surgery patients

AbstractBariatric surgery is becoming a more commonly used treatment for the management of obesity; however, measures of effectiveness have tended to rely heavily on the short‐term physical health indicators of success, whilst largely neglecting psychological and social factors. The understandings achieved through listening to the lived experiences of countless individuals as they steered their way through the complex journey of bariatric surgery, this commentary deliberates on some of the unique lived experiences of patients who have undergone bariatric surgery and the overriding and under‐supported long‐term social and psychological aftermath.

What factors attenuate the relationship between childhood neglect and adverse health outcomes? Examining the role of socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and the presence of a protective adult.

The detrimental effects of childhood neglect on adult health outcomes are well-recognized; however, less is known about factors that may attenuate this relationship. (1) To examine the associations between childhood neglect and various physical and mental health outcomes in adulthood among those who had not experienced childhood physical or sexual abuse; and (2) To determine whether adjusting for risk and protective factors, including socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and the presence of a trusted adult, attenuates these relationships. Data came from the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a representative sample of community-dwelling US adults (n=41,322). The relationships between childhood neglect and health outcomes were investigated using logistic regression analyses. Adjustments were made for demographics, socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and the presence of a protective adult. Childhood neglect was significantly associated with adverse health outcomes, including health behaviors (e.g., smoking, low physical activity), physical health indicators (e.g., self-reported fair/poor health, stroke, asthma, COPD), disabilities (e.g., hearing impairment, vision impairment, cognitive impairment, difficulty walking or climbing stairs, difficulty bathing), and mental health indicators (e.g., poor mental health/past month, depression) after controlling for demographics. All significant associations indicated small or very small effect sizes. Associations were substantially attenuated when controlling for adult socioeconomic status, and further attenuated when controlling for the presence of a protective adult, with several outcomes becoming non-significant. Socioeconomic status and the presence of a protective adult in childhood considerably diminishes the association between childhood neglect and health outcomes in adulthood.

Descriptive study of mental health care users 12 months pre- and post-COVID-19 lockdown

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has impacted on a range of physical, mental and societal health indices. Increased levels of psychological stress are often reported following pandemics.Aim: To describe and compare the presentations of mental health care users pre- and post-initiation of the lockdown, with an emphasis on demographic profiles and final diagnoses.Setting: The study was conducted as a retrospective record review over the predetermined period at a large public hospital in Johannesburg and included all mental health care users requiring psychiatry consultation during the study period.Methods: Clinical records were traced via the emergency department registration desk, and information pertaining to demographics, presenting complaints, date of presentation and diagnosis was extracted.Results: A significant increase was seen in patients with psychotic disorders from pre-COVID-19 to post-COVID-19. There was a reduction in presentations of mood disorders and substance-related disorders. Patients presenting in the post-COVID-19 time period were significantly younger than in the pre-COVID-19 time period.Conclusion: Pandemics result in notable negative mental health sequelae. Policies aimed at mitigating the spread of infective agents should be implemented with consideration of the burden of psychological distress following the pandemic.Contribution: This study provides insights into clinical and demographic variables in a mental health care population serviced at a government hospital pre- and post-COVID-19 lockdown regulations.

Health risks associated with urinary incontinence among older Korean Americans living in subsidized senior housing.

We examined the association of urinary incontinence (UI) with physical, mental, and social health among older Korean Americans living in subsidized senior housing. Data were obtained from surveys conducted in 2023 with older Korean Americans residing in subsidized senior housing in the Los Angeles area (n = 313). UI was measured using a question about the frequency of involuntary urine loss. Physical, mental, and social health risks were assessed with a single item for self-rated health (fair/poor rating), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (probable depression), and the Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (isolation from family and friends). Over half of the sample reported UI, with 46.3% experiencing it infrequently (i.e. seldom) and 10.3% frequently (i.e. sometimes or often). UI was significantly associated with physical and mental health indicators; the odds of reporting fair or poor health and having probable depression were 1.94-7.32 times higher among those with either infrequent or frequent UI compared to those without UI. While family isolation was not associated with UI, the odds of being isolated from friends were 2.85 times greater among those with frequent UI compared to those without UI. Our findings confirm the adverse impact of UI on physical and mental health and highlight its unique role in social health. UI-associated social isolation was significant only in relationships with friends, providing new insights into the distinction between isolation from family and friends. These findings enhance our understanding of the health risks associated with UI and inform strategies for health management and promotion within the senior housing context.

Exploring key factors influencing depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly adult population: A machine learning-based method

ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate the key factors, including demographics, socioeconomics, physical well-being, lifestyle, daily activities and loneliness that can impact depressive symptoms in the middle-aged and elderly population using machine learning techniques. By identifying the most important predictors of depressive symptoms through the analysis, the findings can have important implications for early depression detection and intervention. ParticipantsFor our cross-sectional study, we recruited a total of 976 volunteers, with a specific focus on individuals aged 50 and above. Each participant was requested to provide their demographic, socioeconomic information and undergo several physical health tests. Additionally, they were asked to respond to questionnaires that assessed their mental well-being. Furthermore, participants were requested to maintain an activity log for a continuous 14-day period, starting from the day after they signed up. They had the option to use either a provided mobile application or paper to record their activities. MethodsWe evaluated multiple machine learning models to find the best-performing one. Subsequently, we conducted post-hoc analysis to extract the variable significance from the selected model to gain deeper insights into the factors influencing depression. ResultsLogistic Regression was chosen as it exhibited superior performance across other models, with AUC of 0.807 ± 0.038, accuracy of 0.798 ± 0.048, specificity of 0.795 ± 0.061, sensitivity of 0.819 ± 0.097, NPV of 0.972 ± 0.013 and PPV of 0.359 ± 0.064. The top influential predictors identified in the model included loneliness, health indicator (i.e. frailty, eyesight, functional mobility), time spent on activities (i.e. staying home, doing exercises and visiting friends) and perceived income adequacy. ConclusionThese findings have the potential to identify individuals at risk of depression and prioritize interventions based on the influential factors. The amount of time dedicated to daily activities emerges as a significant indicator of depression risk among middle-aged and elderly individuals, along with loneliness, physical health indicators and perceived income adequacy.

Physical exercise post-treatment in breast cancer: a longitudinal study

The prevalence of breast cancer has been progressively rising as a result of advancements in anti-cancer therapies, however, these patients also experience a variety of long-term adverse effects from their illness and treatments. The current study sought to determine how an exercise training intervention influenced physical and mental health indices in breast cancer patients. A total of 30 female breast cancer patients (aged 42.81 ± 3.31 years, body mass index (BMI) 26.87 ± 0.59 kg/m2, and waist circumference 97.61 ± 1.94 cm) engaged in 12 weekly exercise regimens twice weekly that comprised aerobic, resistance, and flexibility activities. The exercise intervention improved participants' cardiorespiratory fitness, BMI, waist circumference, and muscle function, including sitting to standing, sit-ups, and push-ups. It also showed positive results for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, self-reported fatigue, quality of life, and physical, cognitive, and emotional functioning (p &lt; 0.001). In conclusion, our results imply that the advantages of an exercise training program may help breast cancer patients lessen the negative impacts of treatment-related factors on physical performance, overall quality of life, and mental health. Keywords: breast cancer; physical exercise; anxiety; post-traumatic stress disorder; quality of life

What’s in the water? Long-run effects of fluoridation on health and economic self-sufficiency

Community water fluoridation has been named one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century for its role in improving dental health. Fluoride has large negative effects at high doses, clear benefits at low levels, and an unclear optimal dosage level. I leverage county-level variation in the timing of fluoride adoption, combined with restricted U.S. Census data that link over 29 million individuals to their county of birth, to estimate the causal effects of childhood fluoride exposure. Children exposed to community water fluoridation from age zero to five are worse off as adults on indices of economic self-sufficiency (−1.9% of a SD) and physical ability and health (−1.2% of a SD). They are also significantly less likely to graduate high school (−1.5 percentage points) or serve in the military (−1.0 percentage points). These findings challenge existing conclusions about safe levels of fluoride exposure.

Self-Rated Health Predicts Mortality -- But It Depends on Your Age

While self-rated health (SRH) has long been known to predict mortality in adult populations, the age of respondents plays an interesting and complex role in both explaining and modifying the association. The objective of this study is to test for differences by age in the association of SRH with all-cause mortality. Because much of the research has been conducted with older samples, a wider age range of adults may show that some age groups have more predictive SRH than others. We estimated Cox proportional hazards models to determine if SRH in 1999 predicted survival to 2021 differently based on age, using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. The sample consisted of 5,843 respondents aged 25 to 97 who were interviewed in 1999 and followed for survival until 2021. We included demographic and socioeconomic factors, physical health and mental health indicators, and health risk behaviors as covariates to assess their potential mediating role in the predictive ability of SRH. The results showed a significant interaction between SRH and age, with larger and more significant hazards for those aged 40-54 and 55-74. There were no significant effects at all for the youngest group and virtually none for the oldest group. For example, for individuals aged 40-54, there were significant HRs for poor health (2.49, 95% CI 1.05, 5.89) and fair health (1.95, 95% CI 1.11, 3.42) compared to excellent health in the fully adjusted models. Our findings suggest that age group differences in the predictiveness of SRH may reflect an absence of health knowledge and experience for younger respondents, and a survivor bias for the oldest age group due to the lifetime elimination of those with poor health.

Data-informed psychological therapy, measurement-based care, and precision mental health.

Measurement-based care, that is, incorporating data-informed decision support for therapists into psychological therapy, has undergone significant advancements over the past 2 decades. Technological innovations such as computerized data assessment and feedback tools have facilitated its widespread adoption across various settings. For instance, clinicians can utilize psychometric data to personalize therapeutic approaches, strategies, or modules and track a patient's response to therapy in real time (e.g., Lutz, Schwartz, & Delgadillo, 2022). Furthermore, new algorithm-based clinical support tools used within measurement-based care can optimize treatment for such patients at risk for treatment failure. Consequently, measurement-based care is evolving into a data-informed and precision psychological therapy concept that can be viewed as a low-intensity transtheoretical adjunct to evidence-based treatments. It can be integrated at multiple care points into clinical practice regardless of the clinical modality, manual, or program used in a given health care system. Therefore, it emerges as an important component of clinical competence, practice, and training, akin to continuous monitoring of physical health indicators (e.g., insulin, fever, or blood pressure). In this viewpoint article, we summarize the core concepts of data-informed psychological therapy that customizes individual psychological interventions to meet specific patient needs. We also explore implications and future steps to integrate this approach into clinical practice and further advance precision mental health care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Arm Length and Height Relationship in Young Indian Adults: A Correlation and Regression Analysis

Abstract Introduction: Anthropometric studies on body proportions such as arm length (AL) and height (Ht) are essential for understanding physical growth patterns and health indicators, particularly amongst young adults. However, limited research exists on this relationship in the Indian population. Materials and Methods: This study examined the correlation and regression between AL and Ht in 500 healthy Indian adults aged 18–23 years. Standard anthropometric tools were used to measure AL and Ht, and statistical analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between these variables. Results: The results showed varying degrees of correlation between AL and Ht across different age groups and genders. Males generally exhibited higher AL to Ht ratios compared to females, with significant gender differences observed in younger age groups. Conclusion: These findings contribute to our understanding of human growth patterns amongst young Indian adults and have important implications for clinical assessments and anthropological research. Further, longitudinal studies are recommended to better understand the dynamics of growth and body proportions over time in this population.

Improve Mental Health (Improve-MH) in refugee families using a culturally adapted, general practitioner-delivered psychotherapeutic intervention combined with Triple P Online parenting programme: study protocol of a multicentre randomised controlled trial

IntroductionGermany and the European Union have experienced successive waves of refugees since 2014, resulting in over 1.6 million arrivals, including families with young children. These vulnerable populations often face xenophobia,...

On Age

Age is determined by the amount of time that someone or something has existed. For example, a person born in 1980 and a 1980 vintage wine would each be 40 years old in 2020. Recently, Joona Räsänen has challenged this belief, arguing that in some cases one’s age is not determined by how long one has existed, but by some feature or set of features about one’s biology, experiences, and/or beliefs about themselves. In many cases, age is an ad hoc indicator of physical health, psychological development, and the like, but for Räsänen, it seems age isn’t merely an indicator of such things; it’s derived from these things! Here I argue Räsänen’s alternatives to chronological age are ontologically burdensome and inconsistent with our intuitions in both normal and weird cases.

Identifying Psychosocial and Ecological Determinants of Enthusiasm In Youth: Integrative Cross-Sectional Analysis Using Machine Learning.

Understanding the factors contributing to mental well-being in youth is a public health priority. Self-reported enthusiasm for the future may be a useful indicator of well-being and has been shown to forecast social and educational success. Typically, cross-domain measures of ecological and health-related factors with relevance to public policy and programming are analyzed either in isolation or in targeted models assessing bivariate interactions. Here, we capitalize on a large provincial data set and machine learning to identify the sociodemographic, experiential, behavioral, and other health-related factors most strongly associated with levels of subjective enthusiasm for the future in a large sample of elementary and secondary school students. The aim of this study was to identify the sociodemographic, experiential, behavioral, and other health-related factors associated with enthusiasm for the future in elementary and secondary school students using machine learning. We analyzed data from 13,661 participants in the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) (grades 7-12) with complete data for our primary outcome: self-reported levels of enthusiasm for the future. We used 50 variables as model predictors, including demographics, perception of school experience (i.e., school connectedness and academic performance), physical activity and quantity of sleep, substance use, and physical and mental health indicators. Models were built using a nonlinear decision tree-based machine learning algorithm called extreme gradient boosting to classify students as indicating either high or low levels of enthusiasm. Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) values were used to interpret the generated models, providing a ranking of feature importance and revealing any nonlinear or interactive effects of the input variables. The top 3 contributors to higher self-rated enthusiasm for the future were higher self-rated physical health (SHAP value=0.62), feeling that one is able to discuss problems or feelings with their parents (SHAP value=0.49), and school belonging (SHAP value=0.32). Additionally, subjective social status at school was a top feature and showed nonlinear effects, with benefits to predicted enthusiasm present in the mid-to-high range of values. Using machine learning, we identified key factors related to self-reported enthusiasm for the future in a large sample of young students: perceived physical health, subjective school social status and connectedness, and quality of relationship with parents. A focus on perceptions of physical health and school connectedness should be considered central to improving the well-being of youth at the population level.

Cover crop grazing length impacts on soil health and crop productivity in US Coastal Plain soils

AbstractIntroducing integrated crop‐livestock systems into row crop production promotes income diversification and potential soil health benefits through cover crop grazing on degraded soils of the southeastern United States, but effects of these practices on crop yields and soil health in Coastal Plain soils are not well established. A 4‐year study was performed to evaluate the effects of grazing a multi‐species winter cover crop on soil health and crop yields under mid‐February, mid‐March, and mid‐April cattle removal dates and a non‐grazed control within an annual cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and peanut crop rotation (Arachis hypogaea L.). Chemical soil health indicators (soil organic carbon and permanganate oxidizable carbon), physical soil health indicators (water‐stable aggregates and penetration resistance), biological soil health indicators (microbial biomass carbon, soil respiration, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonization), crop yield, and cover crop biomass were evaluated. Cover crop biomass at termination was reduced by 3660, 5250, and 5610 kg ha−1 for the mid‐February, mid‐March, and mid‐April cattle removal treatments compared to the non‐grazed control. No grazing treatment effects were observed for biological soil properties. Soil organic carbon was higher in the non‐grazed treatment than the mid‐April grazing treatment across 0‐ to 30‐cm depth. Penetration resistance across 0‐ to 50‐cm depth and water‐stable aggregates at the 0‐ to 30‐cm depth were both negatively impacted by increased grazing period lengths. Results from this study suggest that longer cover crop grazing periods have little effect on biological and chemical soil health indicators in the short term but can negatively impact some physical soil health indicators.

A model-based assessment of social isolation practices for COVID-19 outbreak response in residential care facilities

BackgroundResidential aged-care facilities (RACFs, also called long-term care facilities, aged care homes, or nursing homes) have elevated risks of respiratory infection outbreaks and associated disease burden. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation policies were commonly used in these facilities to prevent and mitigate outbreaks. We refer specifically to general isolation policies that were intended to reduce contact between residents, without regard to confirmed infection status. Such policies are controversial because of their association with adverse mental and physical health indicators and there is a lack of modelling that assesses their effectiveness.MethodsIn consultation with the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, we developed an agent-based model of COVID-19 transmission in a structured population, intended to represent the salient characteristics of a residential care environment. Using our model, we generated stochastic ensembles of simulated outbreaks and compared summary statistics of outbreaks simulated under different mitigation conditions. Our study focuses on the marginal impact of general isolation (reducing social contact between residents), regardless of confirmed infection. For a realistic assessment, our model included other generic interventions consistent with the Australian Government’s recommendations released during the COVID-19 pandemic: isolation of confirmed resident cases, furlough (mandatory paid leave) of staff members with confirmed infection, and deployment of personal protective equipment (PPE) after outbreak declaration.ResultsIn the absence of any asymptomatic screening, general isolation of residents to their rooms reduced median cumulative cases by approximately 27%. However, when conducted concurrently with asymptomatic screening and isolation of confirmed cases, general isolation reduced the median number of cumulative infections by only 12% in our simulations.ConclusionsUnder realistic sets of assumptions, our simulations showed that general isolation of residents did not provide substantial benefits beyond those achieved through screening, isolation of confirmed cases, and deployment of PPE. Our results also highlight the importance of effective case isolation, and indicate that asymptomatic screening of residents and staff may be warranted, especially if importation risk from the outside community is high. Our conclusions are sensitive to assumptions about the proportion of total contacts in a facility accounted for by casual interactions between residents.

Benchmarking soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration provides more robust soil health assessment than the SOC/clay ratio at European scale

Increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) confers benefits to soil health, biodiversity, underpins carbon sequestration and ameliorates land degradation. One recommendation is to increase SOC such that the SOC to clay ratio (SOC/clay) exceeds 1/13, yet normalising SOC levels based on clay alone gives misleading indications of soil structure and the potential to store additional carbon. Building on work by Poeplau & Don (2023) to benchmark observed against predicted SOC, we advance an alternative indicator: the ratio between observed and “typical” SOC (O/T SOC) for pan-European application. Here, “typical” SOC is the average concentration in different pedo-climate zones, PCZs (which, unlike existing SOC indicators, incorporate land cover and climate, alongside soil texture) across Europe, determined from mineral (<20 % organic matter) topsoils (0–20 cm) sampled during 2009–2018 in LUCAS, Europe's largest soil monitoring scheme (n = 19,855). Regression tree modelling derived 12 PCZs, with typical SOC values ranging 5.99–39.65 g kg−1. New index classes for comparison with SOC/clay grades were established from the quartiles of each PCZ's O/T SOC distribution; these were termed: “Low” (below the 25th percentile), “Intermediate” (between the 25th and 50th percentiles), “High” (between the 50th and 75th percentiles), and “Very high” (above the 75th percentile). Compared with SOC/clay, O/T SOC was less sensitive to clay content, land cover, and climate, less geographically skewed, and better reflected differences in soil porosity and SOC stock, supporting 2 EU Soil Health Mission objectives (consolidating SOC stocks; improving soil structure for crops and biota). These patterns held for 2 independent datasets, and O/T SOC grades were sensitive enough to reflect land management differences across several long-term field experiments. O/T SOC used in conjunction with several other physical, chemical and biological soil health indicators can help support the EU Soil Monitoring Law and achieve several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

How Does Successful Aging Apply To Black Women?: A Latent Class Analysis.

Although prior research has identified racial/ethnic and gender differences in successful aging (SA), heterogeneity within groups has been little examined. We consequently explore the variety of aging experiences among older Black women. We used the 2010/2012 U.S. Health and Retirement Study, limiting analyses to Black women who completed the Psychosocial Leave-Behind Questionnaire (N = 1,186). We conducted latent class analysis (LCA) using indicators of physical health, psychological well-being, social support/strain, and social engagement. Six SA latent classes were identified and labeled according to their distinctive characteristics: infirm, isolated, taxed, independent, vivacious, and robust. The infirm class had uniformly poor health, while the isolated class was in poor physical health but also lacked social relations. Although both had average physical health and psychological well-being, the taxed class experienced high levels of social support and social strain compared to the high support (and unpartnered) independent class. The vivacious and robust classes exhibited high physical health and psychological well-being, high social support/low social strain, and high social engagement, but vivacious women (23% of respondents) were unpartnered and robust women (16% of respondents) were partnered. The robust class had the highest physical and psychological well-being, and best social relations across all classes. Using nationally representative data, we reveal significant heterogeneity in Black women's aging experiences. Although many face difficult aging experiences, 39% of older Black women fit the SA framework well. Future work should recognize that Black women's aging experiences are not homogenous.

Perspectives on the COVID-19 pandemic and life-space mobility in older adults.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the physical health of older adults around the world, causing day-to-day disruptions in routines and changes to usual patterns of mobility. Despite the passing of 2 years since vaccinations, older adults continue to experience detriments, including social isolation and reduced mobility. This study aims to understand how views of the COVID-19 pandemic are associated with life-space mobility-moving about the community. We hypothesize that endorsing stronger perspectives about the persistence of COVID-19 is correlated with reduced life-space mobility. Survey data were collected via online questionnaire in October and November of 2022. Linear regression models were used to examine the relationship between five perspectives on the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., agreeing that "I wish people would take COVID-19 more seriously") and life-space mobility, measured using a modified version of the life space assessment, in older adults (n = 510). Analyses were adjusted for demographic factors and mental and physical health indicators, including depressive symptoms and number of chronic conditions. In fully adjusted models, the study found that endorsing a stronger lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across any of the five perspectives was associated with significantly lower life-space mobility. The results of this study show that endorsing a stronger lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with reduced life-space mobility, which underscores the importance of designing public health strategies that carefully balance the safety concerns of older adults with opportunities for physical activity and social interaction.

Factors associated with self-reports of limitations in activities of daily living among Medicare Fee-for-Service recipients

BackgroundPhysical function is an important indicator of physical health and predicts mortality. This study identified characteristics associated with limitations in Medicare recipients' activities of daily living.Methods2019 Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Fee-for-Service Medicare Survey data: 79,725 respondents (34% response rate) who were 65 and older and 53% female; 7% Black, 5% Hispanic, 4% Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander, 2% Multiracial, 1% American Indian/Alaskan Native; 35% with high school education or less. Walking, getting in and out of chairs, bathing, dressing, toileting, and eating (scored as having no difficulty versus being able to do with difficulty or unable to do) and a scale of these items were regressed on patient characteristics.ResultsAfter adjustment for all characteristics, function limitations were found for those who smoked (effect sizes of significant associations range .04-.13), had chronic health conditions (.02-.33), were 85 years or older (.09-.46), needed assistance completing the survey (.32–1.29), were female (.05-.07), and had low income and assets (.15-.47).ConclusionsThese nationally representative U.S. estimates of physical function characteristics are useful for interventions for vulnerable population subgroups.