Insights into prevention: an up-close look at healthy behaviours and their associations with frailty using the CLSA dataset

With the aging Canadian population, increasing attention has been directed towards conditions specific to older adults. Frailty is one such condition that refers to a decrease in body functioning that creates a vulnerability to disease. Healthy lifestyle practices such as proper sleep, good eating habits and continued exercise, have been shown to reduce the risk of a variety of chronic conditions more commonly seen in older age. This study aims to evaluate the links between level of frailty and healthy lifestyle practices. Identifying which behaviours relate to less risk of frailty will allow clinicians to learn the most beneficial practices to prevent the development of frailty and subsequently increase the quality of life of older Canadians.

Frailty is a growing public health concern for Canadians. Frailty is a condition where individuals are more prone to illness or need help from others to complete daily tasks. Persons who are frail are at higher risk for things such as hospitalization and institutionalization, which results in higher healthcare expenditure. With the aging Canadian population, frailty will be on the rise. Therefore, it is important to find ways to prevent and lower the burden of frailty on Canadians.

Research has shown that healthy lifestyle factors can prevent, modify, or delay the onset of chronic health conditions but there have been few studies examining whether healthy lifestyle factors can influence frailty in Canadians. Using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, we found that persons who walk more were 31% less likely to be frail. Drinking alcohol less frequently, not smoking, and having good satisfaction with sleep were also related to lower risk of frailty.

This study shows that healthy habits such as walking more may help reduce the risk of frailty and future frailty. Healthcare providers may use these findings to help reduce the burden of frailty on older adults in Canada.