The objectively measured walking speed and risk of hypertension in Chinese older adults: a prospective cohort study.

This study aims to investigate the longitudinal association between objectively measured walking speed and hypertension and to explore the potential effect modification of obesity on this association in Chinese older adults. The data from the Chinese Health and Retirement Prospective Cohort Study (CHARLS) during 2011-2015 was used. Walking speed was assessed by measuring the participants' usual gait in a 2.5 m course, and it was divided into four groups according to the quartiles (Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4). A total of 2733 participants ≥60 years old were eligible for the analyses. After a follow-up of 4 years, 26.9% occurred hypertension. An inverse association was observed between walking speed and the risk of hypertension. There was an interaction between body mass index (BMI) and walking speed for the hypertension risk (P = 0.010). the association of walking speed with hypertension was stronger in overweight and obese participants (Q2, OR: 0.54, 95%CI = 0.34-0.85, P = 0.009; Q3, OR: 0.69, 95%CI = 0.44-1.08, P = 0.106; Q4, OR: 0.62, 95%CI = 0.39-0.98, P = 0.039). However, this association was not significant among lean ones. A similar trend was observed for systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In conclusion, higher walking speed was longitudinally associated with a lower risk of hypertension in Chinese older adults, especially among overweight and obese participants.

Living alone and the risk of depressive symptoms: a cross-sectional and cohort analysis based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: There were a few studies that examined the longitudinal association between living alone and depressive symptoms, and the vast majority of them were conducted in patients with certain diseases, such as heart failure, cancer, and glaucoma. This study aimed to examine the association between living alone and depressive symptoms in a large representative older Chinese population. METHODS: The China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) data from 2015 to 2018 were used. Living alone was defined as participants who did not live with others ever or more than 11 months in the past year at baseline. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D10). The multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the relationship between living alone and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: There were 5,311 and 2,696 participants ≥ 60 years old included in the cross-sectional and cohort analysis, respectively. The risk of depressive symptoms in participants who lived alone was significantly higher than those who lived with others in both cross-sectional (OR:1.33; 95%CI:1.14,1.54) and cohort analysis (OR:1.23; 95%CI:0.97,1.55). There was a significant interaction between financial support and living alone (Pinteraction = 0.008) on the risk of depressive symptoms. Stratified analyses showed that, compared to those who lived with others, the risk of depressive symptoms in participants who lived alone increased by 83% (OR:1.83; 95%CI:1.26,2.65) in participants receiving lower financial support. However, we did not find statistically significant associations in participants with medium (OR:1.10; 95%CI: 0.74,1.63) and higher financial support (OR: 0.87; 95%CI: 0.53,1.41). CONCLUSION: Living alone was associated with a higher risk of depressive symptoms in the Chinese older population, and this association was moderated by the receipt of financial support. Living alone may be an effective and easy predictor for early identification of high-risk populations of depression in the older population.

Associations of pyrethroid exposure with skeletal muscle strength and mass.

This study aimed to examine the associations of pyrethroid exposure with handgrip strength and skeletal muscle mass and potential modification effects in US adults. The data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used. Handgrip strength was determined with a handgrip dynamometer, and we quantified muscle mass by using the appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI). Urinary 3-Phenoxybenzoic Acid (3-PBA), a validated biomarker for pyrethroid exposure, was used in the primary analysis. After adjusting for other covariates, participants exposed to the highest tertile of 3-PBA exposure had significantly lower handgrip strength (ß = -1.88, 95% CI: -3.29, -0.23, P = 0.026) than those exposed to the lowest tertile of 3-PBA. Similarly, the 3-PBA exposure was marginally significantly associated with ASMI (Tertile 3 vs. Tertile 1: ß = -0.07, 95% CI: -0.14, -0.01, P = 0.056). Significant interactions were found between 3-PBA and body mass index (BMI) on handgrip strength and ASMI (P interaction < 0.05), which indicated a potential moderation effect of BMI on the associations. In conclusion, pyrethroid exposure was adversely associated with handgrip strength and skeletal muscle mass, especially in overweight and obese populations. Further studies are warranted to confirm our results and to explore the potential mechanisms.