Acta Scientific Nutritional Health (ASNH)(ISSN: 2582-1423)

Research Article Volume 5 Issue 10

Living Alone is Associated with Poorer Muscular Strength, Lower 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and Lower Bone Mineral Density in Icelandic Community Dwelling Old Adults

Geirsdottir OG1, Jonsson PV2,3, Thorsdottir I4 and Ramel A1*

1Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
2The Icelandic Gerontological Research Center, Reykjavik, Iceland
3Department of Geriatrics, National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
4School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

*Corresponding Author: Ramel A, Professor, Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Iceland.

Received: June 16, 2021; Published: September 16, 2021

Abstract

Background: Living alone has been a significant public health concern among older adults given its association with a wide range of adverse health outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine whether living alone is associated with physical strength and bone health in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of existing cross-sectional data of old adults (N = 182, 73.7 ± 5.7yrs, 58.2% female) from the Reykjavik capital area in Iceland. Information on socioeconomics, health, dietary intake and physical function was collected. 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25OHD) and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured. Participants were grouped retrospectively into "living alone" and into "in cohabitation".

Results: Of our subjects, 76.4% were in cohabitation and and 23.6% lived alone. Participants who lived alone were older (74.5 ± 5.6 vs. 72.1 ± 5.0, P = 0.008) and more often female (74.4 vs. 53.2%, P = 0.014), but there were no differences in education, smoking, number of medications, physical activity (PA) or body mass index (BMI). According to age and gender corrected analyses, participants in cohabitation had higher grip strength (6.2 ± 2.4lb, P = 0.011), higher 25OHD (13.1 ± 6.3nmol/L, P = 0.037) and higher BMD (z-score lumbal: 1.195 ± 0.417, P = 0.005; z-score femur: 0.421 ± 0.219, P = 0.054; z-score total: 0.846 ± 0.290, P = 0.004). Statistical correction for PA, BMI, education and fish oil intake did not change the results.

Conclusion: In comparison to old adults who live in cohabitation, Icelandic old adults who live alone have poorer physical strength, lower 25OHD and lower BMD, which can increase their risk for wrist- or hip fracture. These differences between groups were not explained by physical, dietary or social confounding variables.

Keywords:Osteoporosis; Old Adults; Socioeconomic Status

References

  1. Lee JJY., et al. “Ten-year absolute fracture risk and hip bone strength in Canadian women with systemic lupus Erythematosus”. Journal of Rheumatology 39 (2012): 1378-1384.
  2. Nelson HD., et al. “Screening for osteoporosis: an update for the U.S. preventive services task force”. Annals of Internal Medicine 153 (2010): W. 43.
  3. Compston J. “Osteoporosis: social and economic impact”. Radiologic Clinics of North America 48 (2010): 477-482.
  4. Mariconda M., et al. “Factors predicting mobility and the change in activities of daily living after hip fracture: a 1-year prospective cohort study”. Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma 30 (2016): 71-77.
  5. Travison T., et al. “Accounting for racial/ethnic variation in bone mineral content and density: the competing influences of socioeconomic factors, body composition, health and lifestyle, and circulating androgens and estrogens”. Osteoporosis International 22 (2011): 2645-2654.
  6. Navarro MC., et al. “Osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome according to socio-economic status, contribution of PTH, vitamin D and body weight: the Canarian osteoporosis poverty study (COPS)”. Clinical Endocrinology 78 (2013): 681-686.
  7. Kim SW., et al. “Association between household size, residential area, and osteoporosis: analysis of 2008 to 2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey”. Korean Journal of Internal Medicine 31 (2016): 712-721.
  8. Øyen J., et al. “Low-energy distal radius fractures in middle-aged and elderly women-seasonal variations, prevalence of osteoporosis, and associates with fractures”. Osteoporosis International 21 (2010): 1247-1255.
  9. Vestergaard P., et al. “Socioeconomic aspects of fractures within universal public healthcare: a nationwide case-control study from Denmark”. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health 34 (2006): 371-377.
  10. Korpelainen R., et al. “Lifelong risk factors for osteoporosis and fractures in elderly women with low body mass index--a population-based study”. Bone 39 (2006): 385-391.
  11. Nabipour I., et al. “Socioeconomic status and bone health in community-dwelling older men: the CHAMP Study”. Osteoporosis International 22 (2011): 1343-1353.
  12. Wang S., et al. “Social and behavior factors related to aged Chinese women with osteoporosis”. Gynecology and Endocrinology 24 (2008): 538-545.
  13. Kumar A., et al. “Impact of dietary intake, education, and physical activity on bone mineral density among north Indian women”. Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism 28 (2010): 192-201.
  14. Shin CS., et al. “Prevalence and risk factors of osteoporosis in Korea: a community-based cohort study with lumbar spine and hip bone mineral density”. Bone 47 (2010): 378-387.
  15. Hsieh C-H., et al. “Factors influencing osteoporosis preventive behaviours: testing a path model”. Journal of Advanced Nursing 62 (2008): 336-345.
  16. Brennan SL., et al. “Association between socioeconomic status and bone mineral density in adults: a systematic review”. Osteoporosis International 22 (2011): 517-527.
  17. Castro-Lionard K., et al. “Use of calcium supplements, vitamin D supplements and specific osteoporosis drugs among French women aged 75-85 years: patterns of use and associated factors”. Drugs Aging 30 (2013): 1029-1038.
  18. Arnarson A., et al. “Changes in body composition and use of blood cholesterol lowering drugs predict changes in blood lipids during 12 weeks of resistance exercise training in old adults”. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 26 (2014): 287-292.
  19. Geirsdottir OG., et al. “Physical function predicts improvement in quality of life in elderly Icelanders after 12 weeks of resistance exercise”. The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging 16 (2012): 62-66.
  20. Arnarson A., et al. “Changes in body composition and use of blood cholesterol lowering drugs predict changes in blood lipids during 12 weeks of resistance exercise training in old adults”. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 26(2014):287-292.
  21. Ramel A., et al. “C-Reactive Protein and Resistance Exercise in Community Dwelling Old Adults”. The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging 19 (2015): 792-796.
  22. Folstein MF., et al. “A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician”. Journal of Psychiatry Research 12 (1975): 189-198.
  23. Geirsdottir OG., et al. “Effect of 12-Week Resistance Exercise Program on Body Composition, Muscle Strength, Physical Function, and Glucose Metabolism in Healthy, Insulin-Resistant, and Diabetic Elderly Icelanders”. The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences 67 (2012): 1259-1265.
  24. “ATS Statement. Guidelines for the Six-Minute Walk Test”. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 166 (2002): 111-117.
  25. Martínez-González MA., et al. “Prevalence of physical activity during leisure time in the European Union”. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 33 (2001): 1142-1146.
  26. Ainsworth BE., et al. “Compendium of physical activities: an update of activity codes and MET intensities”. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2 (2000): s498-s504.
  27. Paffenbarger RS., et al. “Paffenbarger physical activity questionnaire”. American Journals of Epidemiology 108 (1978): 161-175.
  28. Eymundsdottir H., et al. “Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D, physical activity and cognitive function among older adults”. Journal of Aging Research 7 (2018): 143-148.
  29. Geirsdottir OG., et al. “Effect of 12-Week Resistance Exercise Program on Body Composition, Muscle Strength, Physical Function, and Glucose Metabolism in Healthy, Insulin-Resistant, and Diabetic Elderly Icelanders”. Journals of Gerontology: Series A 67(2012):1259-1265.
  30. Ramel A., et al. “Vitamin D deficiency and nutritional status in elderly hospitalized subjects in Iceland”. Public Health Nutrition7 (2009): 1001-1005.
  31. Ljungvall A., et al. “Misreporting and misclassification: implications for socioeconomic disparities in body-mass index and obesity”. The European Journal of Health Economics 16 (2015): 5-20.
  32. Robles TF., et al. “Marital quality and health: a meta-analytic review”. Psychology Bulletin 140 (2014): 140-187.
  33. Kiecolt-Glaser JK and Newton TL. “Marriage and health: his and hers”. Psychology Bulletin 127 (2001): 472-503.
  34. Hawkley LC and Cacioppo JT. “Loneliness matters: a theoretical and empirical review of consequences and mechanisms”. Annals of Behavioral Medicine's 40 (2010): 218-227.

Citation

Citation: Ramel A., et al. “Living Alone is Associated with Poorer Muscular Strength, Lower 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and Lower Bone Mineral Density in Icelandic Community Dwelling Old Adults".Acta Scientific Nutritional Health 5.10 (2021): 17-24.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2021 Ramel A., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.




Metrics

Acceptance rate30%
Acceptance to publication20-30 days
Impact Factor1.316

Indexed In





News and Events


  • Certification for Review
    Acta Scientific certifies the Editors/reviewers for their review done towards the assigned articles of the respective journals.
  • Submission Timeline for Upcoming Issue
    The last date for submission of articles for regular Issues is December 25, 2024.
  • Publication Certificate
    Authors will be issued a "Publication Certificate" as a mark of appreciation for publishing their work.
  • Best Article of the Issue
    The Editors will elect one Best Article after each issue release. The authors of this article will be provided with a certificate of "Best Article of the Issue"

Contact US