Are you 40? Shun bad habits now to cut frailty risk later

Sydney, April 15  With uncertain times come all kinds of fear and if you are in the 40-49 age group, start healthy aging interventions and self-management now and avoid frailty and high death risk, suggest researchers.

The study, published in the journal BMC Geriatrics, found ”pre-frailty” occurs in 45 per cent of people aged 40-49 – which is about the same percentage of people aged 70-75.

“You don’t have to be in your 70s or 80s to be heading down the path to frailty. Age doesn”t matter,” said study researcher Sue Gordon, Professor at Flinders University in Australia.

“Successful healthy aging interventions and self-management should commence in at least the fourth decade of life focusing on these factors which contribute to pre-frailty and frailty,” Gordon added.

From the age of 40, or even younger, people in ”pre-frailty” stages now have the opportunity to avoid poor health outcomes and frailty.

According to the researchers, people can take matters in their own hands by improving a range of things.

Pre-frailty indicators are poor dynamic trunk stability and lower limb strength, poor balance, poor foot sensation, being underweight, pelvic floor problems and poor nutrition.

Pre-frailty to frailty factors is poor mental state i.e. living alone, high psychological distress, poor lung function and poor sleep quality.

“Many options for improving health outcomes are available online,” study researcher Professor Anthony Maeder.

“People working from home during the self-isolation period can take the opportunity to reassess their health, habits and routines to seek ways to make their daily routines and homes better places to live, and live longer in the process,” he added.