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Does fasting plasma insulin increase by age in the general elderly population?
O Lindberg1, R S Tilvis, T E Strandberg
1Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Aging (Milan, Italy)
|August 1, 1997
Summary
Fasting plasma insulin levels tend to increase with age in both men and women, even after accounting for factors like obesity and medication. This age-related insulin increase was observed in a Finnish population study over five years.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Health
Background:
- Insulin levels are affected by lifestyle factors (obesity, inactivity) and medications.
- Confounding factors like comorbidities can influence the relationship between insulin and age.
- Understanding age-related insulin changes is crucial for metabolic health in aging populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between fasting plasma insulin and age in a general aged population.
- To determine if this association persists after controlling for potential confounders.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 1197 subjects from four birth cohorts in southern Finland.
- Baseline examination and five-year follow-up of fasting plasma insulin levels.
- Statistical control for obesity, physical inactivity, and specific medications.
Main Results:
- Fasting insulin levels showed a tendency to increase with age in men up to 75 years and women up to 80 years.
- This age-insulin association was consistent among survivors at the five-year follow-up.
- The observed associations remained statistically significant after adjusting for confounders.
Conclusions:
- Fasting plasma insulin levels exhibit an age-dependent increase in the general aged population.
- This relationship is independent of obesity, physical inactivity, and certain medications.
- Further research may explore the clinical implications of age-related insulin changes.