The prevalence of early contained vascular injury of spleen.

Contained vascular injuries (CVI) of spleen include pseudoaneurysms (PSA) and arterio-venous fistulae (AV-fistulae), and their reported prevalence varies. Our purpose was to assess the prevalence of early splenic CVI seen on admission CT in patients with splenic trauma admitted to a single level 1 trauma center in 2013-2021, and its detection in different CT protocols. A retrospective, single-center longitudinal cohort study. Nine-year data (2013-2021) of all patients with suspected or manifest abdominal trauma were retrieved. All patients, > 15 years with an ICD code for splenic trauma (S36.0XX) were included. CT and angiographic examinations were identified. Reports and images were reviewed. Splenic CVI CT criterion was a focal collection of vascular contrast that decreases in attenuation with delayed imaging. Number of CVIs and treatment was based on medical records and/or available angioembolization data. Of 2805 patients with abdominal trauma, 313 patients (313/2805; 11.2%) fulfilled the study entry criteria. 256 patients (256/313; 81.8%) had a CT examination. Sixteen patients had splenectomy before CT, and the final study group included 240 patients (240/313; 76.7%). Median New Injury Severity Score (NISS) was 27 and 87.5% of patients had NISS > 15. Splenic CVI was found in 20 patients, which yields a prevalence of 8.3% (20/240; 95% CI 5.2-12.6%). In those cases with both late arterial and venous phase images available, CVI was seen in 14.5% of cases (18/124, 95% CI 8.6-22.0%). None of the patients with CVI died within 30 days of the injury. The prevalence of early splenic CVI in patients with a splenic trauma was 8.3-14.5% (95% CI 5.2-22.0%). Our data suggests that both arterial and venous phase are needed for CT diagnosis. The 30-day outcome in terms of mortality was good.

Association of tooth location, occlusal support and chewing ability with cognitive decline and incident dementia.

AIM: Emerging evidence suggests association of tooth loss with impaired cognition. However, the differential effects of anterior versus posterior tooth loss, occlusal support loss and chewing ability are not considered comprehensively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted cross-sectional (N = 4036) and longitudinal analyses (N = 2787) on data from Health 2000 and 2011 Surveys for associations of posterior occlusal support loss, anterior versus posterior tooth loss, and chewing ability with baseline cognition and 11-year cognitive decline. Additionally, 15-year incident dementia risk was investigated (N = 4073). RESULTS: After considering relevant confounders and potential reverse causality bias, posterior occlusal support loss significantly increased dementia risk across all categories indicative of posterior occlusal support loss (hazard ratios [HRs] between 1.99 and 2.89). Bilateral inadequate posterior occlusal support was associated with 11-year decline in overall cognition (odds ratio [OR] = 1.48:1.00-2.19), and unilateral inadequate posterior occlusal support with total immediate (OR = 1.62:1.14-2.30) and delayed recall decline (OR = 1.45:1.03-2.05). Moreover, posterior tooth loss was associated with dementia (HR = 2.23:1.27-3.91) and chewing ability with total immediate decline (OR = 1.80:1.04-3.13). CONCLUSIONS: Posterior tooth and occlusal support loss significantly increases dementia risk. The impact of posterior occlusal support loss appears to be dose-dependent, and this effect is distinct from that of dentures. Dental healthcare services should be particularly attentive to the state of posterior dentition. Further studies exploring possible mechanisms are warranted.

Pairwise association of key lifestyle factors and risk of solid cancers - A prospective pooled multi-cohort register study.

Smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, and physical inactivity are key lifestyle risk factors for cancer. Previously these have been mostly examined singly or combined as an index, assuming independent and equivalent effects to cancer risk. The aim of our study was to systematically examine the joint pairwise and interactive effects of these lifestyle factors on the risk of a first solid primary cancer in a multi-cohort prospective setting. We used pooled data from seven Finnish health survey studies during 1972-2015, with 197,551 participants diagnosed with 16,373 solid malignant primary tumors during follow-up. Incidence of any cancer was analyzed separately without and with lung cancers using Poisson regression with main and interaction effects of key lifestyle factors. When excluding lung cancer, the highest risk of any cancer in men was observed for smokers with a BMI of ≥25 kg/m2 (HR 1.36, 95 % CI 1.25-1.48) and in women for smokers consuming alcohol (HR 1.22, 1.14-1.30). No statistically significant interactions between any studied risk factor pairs were observed. When including lung cancer, the highest HRs among men were observed for smokers who consume alcohol (HR 1.72, 1.57-1.89) and among women for smokers who were physically inactive (HR 1.38, 1.27-1.49). Smoking combined with other lifestyle factors at any exposure level resulted in highest pairwise risks, both in men and women. These results highlight the importance of smoking prevention, but also the importance of preventing obesity and reducing alcohol consumption.

Work ability trends 2000-2020 and birth-cohort projections until 2040 in Finland.

Aims: To examine age-group and birth-cohort trends in perceived work ability in Finland in 2000-2020 and make projections of perceived work ability up to 2040 based on the observed birth-cohort development. Methods: Ten population-representative cross-sectional surveys conducted in Finland between 2000 and 2020 were used (overall N = 61,087, range 817-18,956). Self-reported estimates of current work ability in relation to the person's lifetime best on a scale from zero to ten (0-10) were classified into three groups: limited (0-5), intermediate (6-7), and good (8-10). Multiple imputation was used in projecting work ability. Results: Examining past trends by 5-year birth-cohorts born between 1961 and 1995 showed that work ability has declined steadily over time among older birth-cohorts, while in the two younger cohorts a stable development before 2017 and a steep decline between 2017 and 2020 was seen. Trends by 5-year age groups showed a declining trend of good work ability among 20-44-year-olds, a stable trend among 45-54-year-olds, and an improving trend among 55-year-olds and older was observed for the period 2000-2020. Among the under 55-year-olds the prevalence of good work ability ended up around 75% and at 68% among the 55-59-year-olds, 58% among the 60-69-year-olds and 49% among the 70-74-year-olds in 2020. Birth-cohort projections suggested a declining work ability in the future among all age groups included (30-74 years). By 2040, the prevalence of good work ability is projected to decline by 10 to 15 percentage points among 45-74-year-olds. Conclusions: The projections suggest declining work ability in the future. Efforts to counteract the decline in work ability are needed.

Every tenth malignant solid tumor attributed to overweight and alcohol consumption: A population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that some four in ten cancers are attributable to a few key risk factors. The aim of this study was to estimate cohort-based population attributable fractions (PAFs) in Finland for potentially modifiable cancer risk factors. METHODS: Data from eight health studies including 253,953 subjects with 29,802 incident malignant solid tumors were analysed using Bayesian multivariate regression model with multiplicative risk factor effects. We estimated the effects of smoking, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical activity, parity and education on cancer incidence and related PAFs by cancer site, accounting for competing mortality. RESULTS: PAF for all cancer sites and exposures combined was 34% (95% credible interval 29%-39%) in men and 24% (19%-28%) in women. In men, 23% (21%-27%) and in women 8% (6%-9%) of all cancers were attributed to smoking. PAF related to excess body weight was 4% (2%-6%) in men and 5% (2%-7%) in women, to alcohol 7% (3%-10%) in men and 4% (0%-7%) in women, and to excess body weight and alcohol combined 10% (6%-15%) in men and 9% (4%-13%) in women. CONCLUSION: Smoking was the most important factor contributing to cancer burden in Finnish men and women over the last 40 years. The contribution of excess body weight and alcohol consumption together outweighed the role of smoking in women. As the prevalence of overweight is expected to increase, more efficient public health measures supporting adherence to healthy weight are essential to reduce cancer burden.

Partial substitution of red meat or processed meat with plant-based foods and the risk of colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Shifting from animal-based to plant-based diets could reduce colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence. Currently, the impacts of these dietary shifts on CRC risk are ill-defined. Therefore, we examined partial substitutions of red or processed meat with whole grains, vegetables, fruits or a combination of these in relation to CRC risk in Finnish adults. METHODS: We pooled five Finnish cohorts, resulting in 43 788 participants aged ≥ 25 years (79% men). Diet was assessed by validated food frequency questionnaires at study enrolment. We modelled partial substitutions of red (100 g/week) or processed meat (50 g/week) with corresponding amounts of plant-based foods. Cohort-specific hazard ratios (HR) for CRC were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models and pooled together using random-effects models. Adjustments included age, sex, energy intake and other relevant confounders. RESULTS: During the median follow-up of 28.8 years, 1124 CRCs were diagnosed. We observed small risk reductions when red meat was substituted with vegetables (HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95 - 0.99), fruits (0.97, 0.94 - 0.99), or whole grains, vegetables and fruits combined (0.97, 0.95 - 0.99). For processed meat, these substitutions yielded 1% risk reductions. Substituting red or processed meat with whole grains was associated with a decreased CRC risk only in participants with < median whole grain intake (0.92, 0.86 - 0.98; 0.96, 0.93 - 0.99, respectively; pinteraction=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Even small, easily implemented substitutions of red or processed meat with whole grains, vegetables or fruits could lower CRC risk in a population with high meat consumption. These findings broaden our insight into dietary modifications that could foster CRC primary prevention.

Association of work-related psychosocial factors and day-to-day home blood pressure variation: the Finn-Home study.

OBJECTIVES: Stress, and particularly job strain, has been found to associate with ambulatory blood pressure (BP). Moreover, BP is known to vary between days. One potential over-looked factor underlying this day-to-day BP variation could be work-related psychosocial factors. Thus, we aimed to study the association between job strain, job demands, job control and day-to-day BP variation. METHODS: The home BP of 754 regularly working participants (mean age 50.9 ±â€Š4.8, women 51%) of the Finn-Home Study was measured twice in the morning and twice in the evening over seven days. Average SBP and DBP were calculated for each day. Work-related psychosocial factors were measured with survey. Multivariable-adjusted generalized linear models were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: We found a greater SBP/DBP decrease between weekdays and weekend among participants with high job strain (-1.8 [95% confidence interval, 95% CI, -2.7 to -0.8]/-1.7 [95% CI, -2.3 to -1.1] mmHg) compared to participants with low job strain (-0.7 [95% CI, -1.1 to -0.2]/-0.7 [95% CI, -1.0 to -0.4] mmHg). The participants with high job demands showed a higher BP decrease between weekdays and weekend (-1.4 [95% CI, -2.0 to -0.8]/-1.3 [95% CI, -1.6 to -0.9] mmHg) than the participants with low job demands (-0.5 [95% CI, -1.1 to 0.0]/-0.6 [95% CI, -1.0 to -0.3] mmHg). We did not find BP differences regarding job control. CONCLUSION: High job strain and high job demands were associated with a greater BP reduction from weekdays to the weekend. Work-related psychosocial factors should be considered when assessing day-to-day BP variation.

Associations of EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet or Finnish Nutrition Recommendations with changes in obesity measures: a follow-up study in adults.

Background: Knowledge on the association between the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet (PHD) or the Finnish Nutrition recommendations (FNR) and anthropometric changes is scarce. Especially, the role of the overall diet quality, distinct from energy intake, on weight changes needs further examination. Objectives: To examine the association between diet quality and weight change indicators and to develop a dietary index based on the PHD adapted for the Finnish food culture. Methods: The study population consisted of participants of two Finnish population-based studies (n = 4,371, 56% of women, aged 30-74 years at baseline). Dietary habits at the baseline were assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire including 128-130 food items. We developed a Planetary Health Diet Score (PHDS) (including 13 components) and updated the pre-existing Recommended Finnish Diet Score (uRFDS) (including nine components) with energy density values to measure overall diet quality. Weight, height, and waist circumference (WC), and the body mass index (BMI) were measured at the baseline and follow-up, and their percentual changes during a 7-year follow-up were calculated. Two-staged random effects linear regression was used to evaluate ß-estimates with 95% confidence intervals. Results: Adherence to both indices was relatively low (PHDS: mean 3.6 points (standard deviation [SD] 1.2) in the range of 0-13; uRFDS: mean 12.7 points (SD 3.9) in the range of 0-27). We did not find statistically significant associations between either of the dietary indices and anthropometric changes during the follow-up (PHDS, weight: ß -0.04 (95% CI -0.19, 0.11), BMI: ß 0.05 (-0.20, 0.10), WC: ß -0.08 (-0.22, 0.06); uRFDS, weight: ß 0.01 (-0.04, 0.06), BMI: ß 0.01 (-0.04, 0.06), WC: ß -0.02 (-0.07, 0.03)). Conclusion: No associations between overall diet quality and anthropometric changes were found, which may be at least partly explained by low adherence to the PHD and the FNR in the Finnish adult population.

Price tag of glaucoma care is minor compared with the total direct and indirect costs of glaucoma: Results from nationwide survey and register data.

BACKGROUND: The estimations of the economic burden of glaucoma have focused on comparing different treatment modalities; hence, the total direct and indirect costs of glaucoma at population level are not well known. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the direct and indirect costs of glaucoma and its treatment in Finland. METHODS: Economic and glaucoma data were collected from the cross-sectional nationwide Health 2000 health examination survey linked to multiple national registers, which allowed a 13-year follow-up between 1999-2011 among survey participants. Direct costs covered eye- and non-eye-related hospitalizations and outpatient visits, outpatient health care services, and travel costs among participants aged 30 years or older, adjusted for age and sex. Indirect costs covered premature retirement and productivity losses among participants aged 30-64 years. Glaucoma patients (n = 192) were compared with non-glaucomatous population (n = 6,952). RESULTS: The annual additional total direct costs were EUR 2,660/glaucoma patient, EUR 1,769/glaucoma patient with medication, and EUR 3,979/operated glaucoma patient compared with persons without glaucoma. The respective additional total indirect costs were EUR 4,288, EUR 3,246, and EUR 12,902 per year. In total, the additional annual direct and indirect expenditures associated with glaucoma in Finland were EUR 202 million (0.86% of total expenditures of health care) and EUR 71 million (0.03% of the Finnish gross domestic product) arising mainly from non-eye-related hospitalizations and productivity losses, respectively. CONCLUSION: Glaucoma is associated with an increased health care consumption mainly due to non-eye-related health care, which can be explained by the vision loss as well as increased number of co-morbidities among glaucoma patients. Therefore, glaucoma constitutes a major economic burden for the health care system and society, highlighting the importance of early glaucoma interventions. The difference in direct and indirect costs between glaucoma treatment groups is explained by the uneven distribution of co-morbidities.

Concordance of shoulder symptoms and imaging findings: a protocol for the Finnish Imaging of Shoulder (FIMAGE) study.

INTRODUCTION: Shoulder pain is a substantial medical and socioeconomic problem in most societies, affecting the ability to work or carry out leisure time activities as well as subsequently influencing physical and psychological well-being. According to a nationwide survey in Finland, 27% of the population reported shoulder pain within the last 30 days. In clinical practice, imaging findings of structural abnormalities are typically thought to explain symptoms, even though such findings are also prevalent in asymptomatic individuals, particularly with increasing age. Overall, there is a paucity of high-quality evidence on the prevalence, clinical relevance and prognosis of 'abnormal' imaging findings of the shoulder.The aim of the Finnish Imaging of Shoulder (FIMAGE) study is fourfold: to assess (1) the prevalence of shoulder symptoms and the most common anatomical variants and imaging abnormalities of the shoulder; (2) the concordance between shoulder symptoms, function and imaging abnormalities; (3) the most important determinants of symptoms, function and imaging abnormalities; and (4) the course of shoulder complaints over 5 years. METHODS: The FIMAGE target population of 600 participants, aged 40-75 years, will be randomly selected from a nationally representative general population sample of 9922 individuals originally recruited for the Finnish Health 2000 Survey. On giving informed consent, the participants will be invited to a clinical visit that includes assessment of general health, shoulder symptoms, bilateral shoulder examination and imaging of both shoulders with plain radiography and MRI. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District. The findings will be published according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology criteria. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05641415.

Spectral photon-counting CT: Image quality evaluation using a metal-containing bovine bone specimen.

PURPOSE: To find the optimal imaging parameters for a photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) and to compare it to an energy-integrating detector CT (EID-CT) in terms of image quality and metal artefact severity using a metal-containing bovine knee specimen. METHODS: A bovine knee with a stainless-steel plate and screws was imaged in a whole-body research PCD-CT at 120 kV and 140 kV and in an EID dual-source CT (DSCT) at Sn150 kV and 80/Sn150 kV. PCD-CT virtual monoenergetic 72 and 150 keV images and EID-CT images processed with and without metal artefact reduction algorithms (iMAR) were compared. Four radiologists rated the visualisation of bony structures and metal artefact severity. The Friedman test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Bonferroni's correction were used. P-values of ≤ 0.0001 were considered statistically significant. Distributions of HU values of regions of interest (ROIs) in artefact-affected areas were analysed. RESULTS: PCD-CT 140 kV 150 keV images received the highest scores and were significantly better than EID-CT Sn150 kV images. PCD-CT 72 keV images were rated significantly lower than all the others. HU-value variation was larger in the 120 kV and the 72 keV images. The ROI analysis revealed no large difference between scanners regarding artefact severity. CONCLUSION: PCD-CT 140 kV 150 keV images of a metal-containing bovine knee specimen provided the best image quality. They were superior to, or as good as, the best EID-CT images; even without the presumed advantage of tin filter and metal artefact reduction algorithms. PCD-CT is a promising method for reducing metal artefacts.

Discrepancies between Radiology Specialists and Residents in Fracture Detection from Musculoskeletal Radiographs.

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to compare the competence in appendicular trauma radiograph image interpretation between radiology specialists and residents. (2) Methods: In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, we collected radiology reports from radiology specialists (N = 506) and residents (N = 500) during 2018-2021. As a reference standard, we used the consensus of two subspecialty-level musculoskeletal (MSK) radiologists, who reviewed all original reports. (3) Results: A total of 1006 radiograph reports were reviewed by the two subspecialty-level MSK radiologists. Out of the 1006 radiographs, 41% were abnormal. In total, 67 radiographic findings were missed (6.7%) and 31 findings were overcalled (3.1%) in the original reports. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 0.86, 0.92, 0.91 and 0.88 respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between radiology specialists' and residents' competence in interpretation (p = 0.44). However, radiology specialists reported more subtle cases than residents did (p = 0.04). There were no statistically significant differences between errors made in the morning, evening, or night shifts (p = 0.57). (4) Conclusions: This study found a lack of major discrepancies between radiology specialists and residents in radiograph interpretation, although there were differences between MSK regions and in subtle or obvious radiographic findings. In addition, missed findings found in this study often affected patient treatment. Finally, there are MSK regions where the sensitivity or specificity is below 90%, and these should raise concerns and highlight the need for double reading and should be taken into consideration in radiology education.

Nationwide and regional trends in distance and near visual acuities during 2000-2017 in Finland.

PURPOSE: To evaluate time trends in distance and near vision at the national and regional levels during 2000-2017 in Finland. METHODS: We used three cross-sectional, nationwide health examination surveys representing the Finnish adult population aged 30 years or older in 2000, 2011 and 2017. Bilateral, habitual distance and near visual acuity (VA) were measured in all three surveys. RESULTS: The prevalence of good distance vision (VA ≥ 1.0) increased from 76.7% to 81.3% during 2000-2017 while the prevalence of weak or worse distance vision (VA ≤ 0.5) decreased from 7.6% to 3.7%. The improvements were largest among those aged 85 years and older: the prevalence of distance VA ≤ 0.5 decreased from 71.8% to 28.3%. Near vision showed improvement to a lesser extent in the total population; nevertheless, among those aged 85 years and older the prevalence of weak or worse near vision (VA ≤ 0.5) decreased from 62.3% to 27.1%. A similar positive time trend was observed in all main regions of Finland, and differences between urban and rural regions were small. CONCLUSION: During the past two decades, the overall vision level has improved among the adult population. This is explained mostly by a positive shift from lower to higher vision levels among older age groups, indicating that people live longer with good or adequate vision. This positive trend showed remarkable similarity throughout different regions in Finland, highlighting the importance of equal and accessible eye care throughout the country.

Self-rated work ability as a risk factor for disability retirement.

BACKGROUND: Simple and efficient survey measures to predict staying in or leaving work are needed. We examined the association of single-item self-rated work ability (SRWA) with disability retirement in two large population-based samples and compared the association of SRWA to two other scales, work ability score (WAS) and self-rated health (SRH), used earlier in studies. METHODS: The study population comprised 6034 participants aged 35-58 from the population-based Health 2000 and FinHealth 2017 cohort studies, pooled together. SRWA, WAS and SRH were all classified in three categories: poor, limited and good. A 36-month follow-up for disability retirement via linkage to electronic records was included in the analysis. RESULTS: Of the participants, 195 retired during the follow-up. All three measures strongly predicted disability retirement. Hazard ratio (HR) for poor SRWA (vs. good) was 8.48 [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.41-13.28], WAS 7.99 (95% CI 5.62-11.37) and SRH 5.96 (95% CI 4.17-8.51). HR for limited SRWA (vs. good) was 4.35 (95% CI 3.21-5.91), WAS 3.54 (95% CI 2.49-5.04) and SRH 2.27 (95% CI 1.59-3.23). Taking into account gender, age, education and mental health narrowed the gap between poor and limited vs. good work ability as predictors of disability retirement, but the differences remained clear. CONCLUSIONS: Limited or poor self-rated work ability or health are strong predictors of disability retirement. The SRWA measure is a useful survey-measure of work ability in community-based surveys.

Association of tooth count with cognitive decline and dementia in the Finnish adult population.

AIM: To evaluate whether tooth loss is associated with cognitive decline and incident dementia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed data from the Finnish population-based Health 2000 and follow-up Health 2011 surveys (participants aged ≥30 years and without dementia at baseline; N = 5506 at baseline and 3426 at 11-year follow-up). Dementia diagnoses until 2015 were ascertained from national registers (N = 5542). Tooth count was dichotomized as adequate (≥20) versus tooth loss (<20). Tooth loss was further stratified into 10-19 teeth, 1-9 teeth and edentulism. Upper and lower jaws were also considered separately. Baseline cognitive test scores were dichotomized by median as high versus low, and 11-year change as decline versus no decline. RESULTS: Tooth loss (<20) was associated with lower baseline overall cognition (odds ratio [OR] = 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-1.43), 11-year cognitive decline (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.05-1.70) and higher 15-year dementia risk (hazard ratio = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.15-2.02) after adjusting for multiple confounders. After adjustment for dentures, associations became non-significant, except for 10-19 teeth remaining and dementia. Results were similar after considering reverse causality bias; however, 10-19 teeth remaining was significantly associated with 11-year cognitive decline even after adjustment for dentures. No jaw-specific differences were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Tooth loss adversely impacts the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. The role of dentures should be further explored.

Different carbohydrate exposures and weight gain-results from a pooled analysis of three population-based studies.

BACKGROUND: The role of carbohydrate quantity and quality in weight gain remains unsolved, and research on carbohydrate subcategories is scarce. We examined total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, total sugar, and sucrose intake in relation to the risk of weight gain in Finnish adults. METHODS: Our data comprised 8327 adults aged 25-70 years in three population-based prospective cohorts. Diet was assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire and nutrient intakes were calculated utilizing the Finnish Food Composition Database. Anthropometric measurements were collected according to standard protocols. Two-staged pooling was applied to derive relative risks across cohorts for weight gain of at least 5% by exposure variable intake quintiles in a 7-year follow-up. Linear trends were examined based on a Wald test. RESULTS: No association was observed between intakes of total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, total sugar or sucrose and the risk of weight gain of at least 5%. Yet, total sugar intake had a borderline protective association with the risk of weight gain in participants with obesity (RR 0.63; 95% CI 0.40-1.00 for highest vs. lowest quintile) and sucrose intake in participants with ≥10% decrease in carbohydrate intake during the follow-up (RR 0.78; 95% CI 0.61-1.00) after adjustments for sex, age, baseline weight, education, smoking, physical activity, and energy intake. Further adjustment for fruit consumption strengthened the associations. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings do not support an association between carbohydrate intake and weight gain. However, the results suggested that concurrent changes in carbohydrate intake might be an important determinant of weight change and should be further examined in future studies.

Predicting Internet Use and Digital Competence Among Older Adults Using Performance Tests of Visual, Physical, and Cognitive Functioning: Longitudinal Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: The rapidly increasing role of the internet in obtaining basic services poses challenges, especially for older adults' capabilities of getting the services they need. Research on the predictors of older adults' internet use and digital competence is especially relevant given that people are living longer than before, and the age profile of many societies is changing rapidly. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the associations of objective measures of physical and cognitive impairment with the nonuse of the internet for services and low digital competence among older adults. METHODS: A longitudinal population-based design was used that combined data from performance tests and self-rated questionnaires. Data were gathered in 2017 and 2020 among 1426 older adults aged between 70 and 100 years in Finland. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations. RESULTS: Those who had poor near (odds ratio [OR] 1.90, 95% CI 1.36-2.66) or distant vision (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.21-2.71), restricted or failed abduction of upper arms (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.28-2.85), and poor results from the word list memory (OR 3.77, 95% CI 2.65-5.36) or word list delayed recall (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.48-3.02) tests had greater odds for nonuse of the internet for services than their counterparts. Moreover, those who had poor near (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.57-3.02) or distant vision (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.43-3.19), poor results from the chair stand test (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.06-2.31), restricted or failed abduction of upper arms (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.10-2.76), and poor results from the word list memory (OR 3.41, 95% CI 2.32-5.03) or word list delayed recall (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.39-3.04) tests had greater odds of low digital competence than their counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, older adults' impaired physical and cognitive functioning may hamper their possibilities of accessing internet services such as digital health care services. Our results should be considered when planning digital health care services intended to be used by older adults; that is, digital solutions should also be suitable for older adults with impairments. Furthermore, face-to-face services should be provided for those who cannot use digital services, even if they are assisted properly.

Unraveling the metabolic underpinnings of frailty using multicohort observational and Mendelian randomization analyses.

Identifying metabolic biomarkers of frailty, an age-related state of physiological decline, is important for understanding its metabolic underpinnings and developing preventive strategies. Here, we systematically examined 168 nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomic biomarkers and 32 clinical biomarkers for their associations with frailty. In up to 90,573 UK Biobank participants, we identified 59 biomarkers robustly and independently associated with the frailty index (FI). Of these, 34 associations were replicated in the Swedish TwinGene study (n = 11,025) and the Finnish Health 2000 Survey (n = 6073). Using two-sample Mendelian randomization, we showed that the genetically predicted level of glycoprotein acetyls, an inflammatory marker, was statistically significantly associated with an increased FI (ß per SD increase = 0.37%, 95% confidence interval: 0.12-0.61). Creatinine and several lipoprotein lipids were also associated with increased FI, yet their effects were mostly driven by kidney and cardiometabolic diseases, respectively. Our findings provide new insights into the causal effects of metabolites on frailty and highlight the role of chronic inflammation underlying frailty development.

Partial substitution of red or processed meat with plant-based foods and the risk of type 2 diabetes.

High consumption of red and processed meat has been associated with increased type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk. These kinds of diets are also environmentally unsustainable. We examined a modeled association between a partial substitution of red meat or processed meat with plant-based foods (legumes, vegetables, fruit, cereals, or a combination of these) and T2D risk among Finnish adults. We used pooled data from five Finnish cohorts (n = 41,662, 22% women, aged ≥ 25 years, 10.9 years median follow-up with 1750 incident T2D cases). Diet was assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire. In the substitution models, 100 g/week of red meat or 50 g/week of processed meat were substituted with similar amounts of plant-based substitutes. Cohort-specific hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated by Cox proportional hazards multivariable model and pooled using a two-staged random-effects model. We observed small, but statistically significant, reductions in T2D risk in men when red or processed meat were partially substituted with fruits (red meat: HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-1.00, P = 0.049, processed meat: 0.99, 0.98-1.00, P = 0.005), cereals (red meat: 0.97, 0.95-0.99, P = 0.005, processed meat: 0.99, 0.98-1.00, P = 0.004) or combination of plant-based foods (only processed meat: 0.99, 0.98-1.00, P = 0.004) but not with legumes or vegetables. The findings of women were similar but not statistically significant. Our findings suggest that even small, easily implemented, shifts towards more sustainable diets may reduce T2D risk particularly in men.

Poor health status before the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with unfavourable changes in health-related lifestyle.

AIMS: The effects of COVID-19 containment measures on health-related lifestyle have been both favourable and unfavourable for health. Factors predisposing to unfavourable changes are still poorly known. In this short communication, we aimed to examine which socioeconomic and health-related factors predicted unfavourable lifestyle changes based on data from the same individuals before (2017) the pandemic and during the second wave (2020) of the pandemic in Finland. METHODS: This individual-level follow-up study was based on a nationally representative, two-stage stratified cluster sample of Finnish adults from the FinHealth 2017 Study, conducted in Spring 2017, and its follow-up survey, conducted in Autumn 2020. A total of 3834 men and women aged 25-69 years at baseline had information of selected lifestyle factors (vegetable consumption, leisure-time physical activity, sleeping problems and nightmares) available at both time points. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for unfavourable lifestyle changes (yes/no) according to socioeconomic and health-related factors were calculated using logistic regression models taking into account the sampling design and non-response. RESULTS: We found that those having poor health (i.e. psychological distress, poor self-rated health or chronic diseases) or disadvantaged socioeconomic background before the pandemic were prone to unfavourable lifestyle changes during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Observed unfavourable lifestyle changes in vulnerable population groups may accelerate health inequalities. Targeted health promotion actions are needed to prevent this unfavourable development.