Prevention & lipidsCohort study
Low cardiovascular risk in early midlife and quality of life in old age: a life-long follow-up study in men
- Prospective cohort study
- life-long follow-up
- 2524 men [93.8%] died by 31 January 2025
Authors' conclusion
Low cardiovascular risk in early midlife was associated with greater longevity, less frailty, better quality of life, and higher levels of happiness and well-being in old age.
Study context
- Population
- Healthy men born 1919–1934, low-risk factors (non-smoking, BMI < 25 kg/m², SBP < 140 mmHg, total cholesterol < 6.0 mmol/L, one-hour post-load glucose < 9.0 mmol/L) measured at mean age 42 years907 assessed at age 79
- Participants
- 2,690 men
- Exposure
- Number of low-risk factors in early midlife
- 0 factorsn = 59reference
- 1 factorn = 422
- 2 factorsn = 855
- 3 factorsn = 832
- 4 factorsn = 417
- 5 factorsn = 105
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Proportion reaching 90 years increased with number of low-risk factors
P < 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Frailty, happiness, psychological wellbeing at mean age 79 · mean age 79 years
Frailty
P = 0.013
Happiness 5 factors 8.0 · 0 factors 7.5 · P = 0.053
Psychological wellbeing
P = 0.03
- Frailty, happiness, psychological wellbeing at mean age 79: n = 907, response rate 63%
Frailty, happiness, psychological wellbeing at mean age 79 · mean age 79 years
- Better health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in several domains with five factors
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it