[Transitions on frailty status and related risk factors for its status worsening: finding from the Beijing MJ Health...

Objective: To evaluate the transitions of frailty status and related factors influencing its worsening in middle-aged and elderly adults. Methods: Data was obtained from the Beijing MJ Health Screening Center. A total of 13 689 participants who attended health checkups at least twice during 2008-2019 and had more than three years' intervals during these two health checkups were included in the study. The frailty index comprising 28 variables was used to measure frailty status. Frailty was defined as frailty index ≥0.25, and prefrailty was defined as frailty index >0.10 and <0.25. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association of socio-demographic factors and lifestyle characteristics with the worsening of frailty status, stratified by frailty status at the first health checkup. Results: The mean age at the first and last health checkups were (42.3±9.2) and (47.9±9.3) years, respectively. The mean interval during these two health checkups was (5.7±1.9) years. At the first health checkup, the prevalence of frailty and prefrailty were 2.5% and 50.3%, respectively. While at the last health checkup, the prevalence of frailty and prefrailty rose to 3.9% and 55.4%. Of all participants, 67.3% remained in the same frailty state, 21.2% worsening, and 12.5% improving. In robust participants at the first health checkup, older age, female, low education level, smoking cessation, daily smoking, being general obesity measured by BMI or central obesity measured by WHR showed an increased the risk of worsening frailty status. However, in prefrail participants at the first health checkup, older age, female, general, or central obesity presented as risk factors for worsening frailty status. Conclusion: Modifiable factors such as low education level, smoking, and obesity may increase the risk of worsening frailty status.