Life-Course Pathways to Exceptional Longevity: Evidence From the Lothian Birth Cohort of 1921.
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci
; 79(8)2024 Aug 01.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38941261
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Longevity, a hallmark of successful aging, is a multifactorial trait with influences from birth onwards. However, limited evidence exists on the pathways linking diverse life-course exposures to longevity, especially within a single cohort.METHODS:
We investigated associations between life-course factors and longevity among community-dwelling adults aged 79 (N = 547) from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921 with a mortality follow-up of 24 years. Cox proportional hazards and structural equation (path) models were used to explore how factors from early life (social class, childhood intelligence quotient [IQ], education), midlife (social class), and later life (health, lifestyle, psychosocial well-being), as well as sex, personality, and apolipoprotein E e4 status, influence survival time in days.RESULTS:
During follow-up (1999-2023), 538 participants (98%) died (mean age of death = 89.3 years) and 9 survived (mean age = 101.6 years). Factors associated with lower mortality risk in the multivariable Cox model were higher cognitive function (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59-0.88), better physical function (HR = 0.61; 95% CI 0.44-0.85), and greater physical activity (HR = 0.81; 95% CI 0.71-0.92), while history of cancer was associated with higher mortality risk (HR = 1.84; 95% CI 1.22-2.77). The life-course path model identified the same direct predictors, with additional contributions from female sex and nonsmoking status, to greater longevity. Early- and midlife factors (IQ, education, social class), and emotional stability, conscientiousness, and female sex, were indirectly and positively associated with survival trajectories via multiple dimensions of adult health.CONCLUSIONS:
In understanding why people live to very old ages it is necessary to consider factors from throughout the life course, and to include demographic, psychosocial, and health variables.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Longevity
Limits:
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci
Journal subject:
GERIATRIA
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United kingdom
Country of publication:
United States