A recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh has uncovered a significant link between how fatigued certain activities make older adults feel and their risk of dying within the next few years.
The research suggests that older adults who experience higher levels of fatigue after everyday activities are more than twice as likely to die within a 2.7-year period compared to those who feel less fatigued.
The study focused on the concept of “physical fatigability,” which refers to how tired or exhausted a person feels after performing specific tasks.
Previous research has shown that engaging in regular physical activity can help reduce fatigue, but this study is the first to connect severe physical fatigability with an earlier death.
To assess fatigability, the researchers used a tool called the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale, a questionnaire that was developed in 2014 and has since been translated into 11 languages.
This scale asks participants to rate how tired they would feel after completing various activities, such as taking a leisurely 30-minute walk, doing light housework, or engaging in heavy gardening.
The study involved 2,906 participants aged 60 and older who were part of the Long-Life Family Study, a research project aimed at understanding factors that contribute to long life.
Participants were asked to imagine how fatigued they would feel after performing the activities listed in the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale and to rate their expected fatigue on a scale from 0 to 5.
The results were telling. After adjusting for other factors that could influence mortality, such as age, gender, and health conditions, the researchers found that participants who scored 25 points or higher on the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale were 2.3 times more likely to die within the next 2.7 years compared to those who scored below 25.
This strong association between high fatigability and an increased risk of early death highlights the importance of paying attention to how tired older adults feel after routine activities.
The findings also demonstrate the value of the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale as a tool for identifying older adults at higher risk of mortality.
By measuring perceived fatigue after common activities, healthcare providers might be able to use this scale to identify individuals who are at greater risk and take steps to improve their health outcomes.
While the study provides new insights into the relationship between fatigue and mortality, it also underscores the importance of maintaining physical activity levels in older age. Regular exercise has been shown to reduce fatigue and improve overall health, which may, in turn, help extend life expectancy.
The study, led by Dr. Nancy W. Glynn, was published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A. This research could pave the way for further studies aimed at understanding how interventions to reduce fatigue might improve the longevity and quality of life for older adults.
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