Prevalence and Its Associated Factors of Physical Frailty and Cognitive Impairment: Findings from the West China Health and Aging Trend Study (WCHAT)

M Ge; Y Zhang; W Zhao; J Yue; L Hou; X Xia; Y Zhao; X Liu; B Dong; N Ge

doi:10.1007/s12603-020-1363-y

Prevalence and Its Associated Factors of Physical Frailty and Cognitive Impairment: Findings from the West China Health and Aging Trend Study (WCHAT)

J Nutr Health Aging. 2020;24(5):525-533. doi: 10.1007/s12603-020-1363-y.

Authors

M Ge¹, Y Zhang, W Zhao, J Yue, L Hou, X Xia, Y Zhao, X Liu, B Dong, N Ge

Affiliation

¹ Birong Dong, PhD, The Center of Gerontology and Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, GuoXueXiang 37, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, 610041; Ning Ge, PhD, The Center of Gerontology and Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, GuoXueXiang 37, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, 610041. E-mail address: Birongdong123@outlook.com (B. Dong), grace7733@163.com (Ning Ge), Fax: +86-028-85421550, Tel: +86-028-85421550.

PMID: 32346692
DOI: 10.1007/s12603-020-1363-y

Abstract

Objectives: Previous literature has reported that physical frailty (PF) closely associated with cognitive impairment (CI). In this study, we aim to describe and evaluate the prevalence and associated factors with different patterns of PF and cognitive impairment.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting and participants: Community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 from the West China Health and Aging Trend (WCHAT) study were included in this study.

Measurements: Participants were assessed the PF and cognitive impairment. PF was assessed using the physical phenotype as defined by Fried's criteria. Cognitive impairment was identified using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ). According different patterns of PF and cognitive impairment, participants were divided into 4 groups: not-PF and cognitive intact ( "neither" group), not-PF and cognitive impairment ("CI only" group), PF and cognitive intact ("PF only" group), and PF and cognitive impairment ("both" group). Multinomial logistic regression was used to explore the association between medical conditions and different patterns of PF and cognitive impairment after adjusting the demographic characteristics.

Results: Among 4,103 participants (age 67.8 + 5.9 years, female 58.3%), 78.8%, 3.9%, 14.5% and 2.9% were "neither", "PF only", "CI only", and "both", respectively. The prevalence of "PF only", "CI only" and "both" were associated with age, lower education level and single status. In addition, there was substantial ethnicity heterogeneity in the prevalence of different patterns of PF and cognitive impairment. Comparing with "neither", PF and/or cognitive impairment had higher association with depression, ADLs impairment, and malnutrition. Of note, obesity was only significantly associated with "PF only", but not associated with "CI only" or "both".

Conclusions: We found the substantial demographic and medical conditions disparities in different patterns of PF and cognitive impairment. Further research should focus on the efficient and practical screen to predict the risk of "PF only", "CI only" and "both".

Keywords: China; Physical frailty (PF); cognitive impairment (CI); older adults.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging / psychology*
China
Cognitive Dysfunction / psychology*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Frailty / psychology*
Geriatric Assessment / methods*
Healthy Aging / psychology*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Prevalence