Obesity as a risk factor for developing functional limitation among older adults: A conditional inference tree
Feon W Cheng1, Xiang Gao1, Le Bao2
1Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
|May 26, 2017
Summary
Higher body mass index (BMI), age, and comorbidity are key risk factors for functional decline in older adults. A tree-based analysis stratified individuals into risk groups, predicting disability development over time.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Functional decline is a significant concern in aging populations, impacting independence and quality of life.
- Identifying modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
- Predictive modeling can aid in stratifying individuals based on their risk of developing functional limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify risk factors associated with functional decline in older adults.
- To develop a predictive algorithm for functional limitation using a tree-based data mining approach.
- To compare the efficacy of conditional inference trees with traditional logistic regression for risk stratification.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 1,951 older adults without baseline functional limitations was analyzed.
- Conditional inference tree analysis and multivariate stepwise logistic regression were employed.
- Follow-up data over approximately 9.2 years were used to identify incident cases of functional limitation.
Main Results:
- Higher body mass index (BMI), advanced age, and presence of comorbidities were consistently identified as significant risk factors for functional decline.
- The conditional inference tree analysis successfully stratified individuals into four distinct risk groups.
- Individuals in higher-risk groups exhibited a significantly elevated risk of developing functional limitation, with an odds ratio of 9.09 between extreme categories.
Conclusions:
- Higher BMI, age, and comorbid conditions are robust predictors of functional decline in older adults.
- Tree-based methods provide a valuable tool for risk stratification and probabilistic prediction of functional limitation.
- These findings support the development of personalized interventions to mitigate functional decline in aging populations.
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