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Objective: To investigate the effects of previous occupational noise exposure in older adults with hearing loss on (1) audiometric configuration and acoustic reflex (AR) thresholds and (2) self-reported hearing abilities and hearing aid (HA) effectiveness. Design: A prospective observational study. Study sample: The study included 1176 adults (≥60 years) with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Pure-tone audiometry, AR thresholds, and responses to the abbreviated version of the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ12) and the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) questionnaire were obtained, along with information about previous occupational noise exposure. Results: Greater occupational noise exposure was associated with a higher prevalence of steeply sloping audiograms in men and women and a 0.32 (95% CI: −0.57; −0.06) scale points lower mean SSQ12 total score among noise-exposed men. AR thresholds did not show a significant relation to noise-exposure status, but hearing thresholds at a given frequency were related to elevated AR thresholds at the same frequency. Conclusions: A noise exposure history is linked to steeper audiograms in older adults with hearing loss as well as to poorer self-reported hearing abilities in noise-exposed men. More attention to older adults with previous noise exposure is warranted in hearing rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Multiples of resting metabolic rate (RMR) are often used to classify physical activity intensity, a concept known as the metabolic equivalent of task (MET). However, the METs metrics may misclassify physical activity intensity in older adults because of age-related changes in RMR and maximal aerobic capacity (⁠ V ˙ O 2 max). This study aimed to (i) compare classifications of activity intensity by estimated (METsestimated) and measured (METsmeasured) METs and (ii) compare physical activity classified by absolute (METsmeasured) versus relative intensity (% V ˙ O 2 Reserve) in older adults. Methods Ninety-eight adults aged 75–90 years participated in the study. RMR and V ˙ O 2 during sitting, standing, daily activities, and 6-minute walking test were measured. V ˙ O 2 Reserve was defined as the difference between V ˙ O 2 max and RMR. Moderate and vigorous intensity was classified as 3 and 6 METs and 40% and 60% of V ˙ O 2 Reserve, respectively. Paired t tests and a confusion matrix were used to investigate aims 1 and 2, respectively. Results METsmeasured was 24% lower than the standard 1 MET of 3.5 mL O2·min−1·kg−1. METsestimated underestimated the intensity during daily and walking activities when compared to METsmeasured. Nevertheless, when comparing METsmeasured to percentages of V ˙ O 2 Reserve, a mismatch was shown for moderate intensity in 47%–67% of the participants during daily activities and 21% of the participants during self-selected gait speed. Conclusions Applying METsestimated for older adults leads to potential underestimation of physical activity intensity, suggesting that current classification metrics should be revised for older adults. V ˙ O 2 Reserve is a candidate metric for establishing precise physical activity intensity cut points for older adults. Clinical Trials Registration Number: NCT04821713 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of hearing aid (HA) intervention on long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) changes in first-time and experienced HA users using the 15D questionnaire. Secondly, the study explored the relationship between clinical parameters and changes in 15D scores. A prospective observational study. The study population included 1562 patients (1113 first-time and 449 experienced HA users) referred for HA rehabilitation. All patients responded to the 15D at baseline, two months after HA fitting, and at long-term follow-up (698 ± 298 d). Among both first-time and experienced HA users, significant improvements in hearing-dimension (15D-3) score were observed at two-month follow-up which sustained at long-term follow-up. 15D total scores significantly decreased at long-term follow-up. Self-reported hearing abilities, word recognition scores, and HA use time were significantly and positively correlated to increased 15D. Both groups of HA users reported improved hearing-related QoL after HA treatment which sustained at long-term follow-up but the improvement in total 15D total score did not sustain for either group. The results suggest that HA intervention positively affects hearing-related QoL among older adults with hearing loss, and the findings support the use of 15D as a tool for the evaluation of HA treatment effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background A crucial issue for the sustainability of societies is how to maintain health and functioning in older people. With increasing age, losses in vision, hearing, balance, mobility and cognitive capacity render older people particularly exposed to environmental barriers. A central building block of human functioning is walking. Walking difficulties may start to develop in midlife and become increasingly prevalent with age. Life-space mobility reflects actual mobility performance by taking into account the balance between older adults internal physiologic capacity and the external challenges they encounter in daily life. The aim of the Life-Space Mobility in Old Age (LISPE) project is to examine how home and neighborhood characteristics influence people’s health, functioning, disability, quality of life and life-space mobility in the context of aging. In addition, examine whether a person’s health and function influence life-space mobility. Design This paper describes the study protocol of the LISPE project, which is a 2-year prospective cohort study of community-dwelling older people aged 75 to 90 (n = 848). The data consists of a baseline survey including face-to-face interviews, objective observation of the home environment and a physical performance test in the participant’s home. All the baseline participants will be interviewed over the phone one and two years after baseline to collect data on life-space mobility, disability and participation restriction. Additional home interviews and environmental evaluations will be conducted for those who relocate during the study period. Data on mortality and health service use will be collected from national registers. In a substudy on walking activity and life space, 358 participants kept a 7-day diary and, in addition, 176 participants also wore an accelerometer. Discussion Our study, which includes extensive data collection with a large sample, provides a unique opportunity to study topics of importance for aging societies. A novel approach is employed which enables us to study the interactions of environmental features and individual characteristics underlying the life-space of older people. Potentially, the results of this study will contribute to improvements in strategies to postpone or prevent progression to disability and loss of independence.

This study investigated the associations of personal goals with exercise activity, as well as the relationships between exercise-related and other personal goals, among older women. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs were used with a sample of 308 women ages 66-79 at baseline. Women who reported exercise-related personal goals were 4 times as likely to report high exercise activity at baseline than those who did not report exercise-related goals. Longitudinal results were parallel. Goals related to cultural activities, as well as to busying oneself around the home, coincided with exercise-related goals, whereas goals related to own and other people’s health and independent living lowered the odds of having exercise-related goals. Helping older adults to set realistic exercise-related goals that are compatible with their other life goals may yield an increase in their exercise activity, but this should be evaluated in a controlled trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the associations of personal goals with exercise activity, as well as the relationships between exercise-related and other personal goals, among older women. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs were used with a sample of 308 women ages 66-79 at baseline. Women who reported exercise-related personal goals were 4 times as likely to report high exercise activity at baseline than those who did not report exercise-related goals. Longitudinal results were parallel. Goals related to cultural activities, as well as to busying oneself around the home, coincided with exercise-related goals, whereas goals related to own and other people’s health and independent living lowered the odds of having exercise-related goals. Helping older adults to set realistic exercise-related goals that are compatible with their other life goals may yield an increase in their exercise activity, but this should be evaluated in a controlled trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity (PA) reduces the risk of negative mental and physical health outcomes in older adults. Traditionally, PA intensity is classified using METs, with 1 MET equal to 3.5 mL O 2 ·min -1 ·kg -1 . However, this may underestimate moderate and vigorous intensity due to age-related changes in resting metabolic rate (RMR) and VO 2 max. VO 2 reserve accounts for these changes. While receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis is commonly used to develop PA, intensity cut-points, machine learning (ML) offers a potential alternative. This study aimed to develop ROC cut-points and ML models to classify PA intensity in older adults. Sixty-seven older adults performed activities of daily living (ADL) and two six-minute walking tests (6-MWT) while wearing six accelerometers on their hips, wrists, thigh, and lower back. Oxygen uptake was measured. ROC and ML models were developed for ENMO and Actigraph counts (AGVMC) using VO 2 reserve as the criterion in two-third of the sample and validated in the remaining third. ROC-developed cut-points showed good-excellent AUC (0.84-0.93) for the hips, lower back, and thigh, but wrist cut-points failed to distinguish between moderate and vigorous intensity. The accuracy of ML models was high and consistent across all six anatomical sites (0.83-0.89). Validation of the ML models showed better results compared to ROC cut-points, with the thigh showing the highest accuracy. This study provides ML models that optimize the classification of PA intensity in very old adults for six anatomical placements hips (left/right), wrist (dominant/non-dominant), thigh and lower back increasing comparability between studies using different wear-position. Clinical Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04821713., (© 2025 The Author(s). Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Context: Sclerostin inhibits canonical Wnt signaling, a pathway promoting bone formation. The effects of vitamin D3, omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3s), and exercise on serum sclerostin levels and bone metabolism are unclear., Objective: To investigate the effects of 2000 IU/d vitamin D3, 1g/d omega-3s, and a simple home-based strength exercise program (SHEP), alone or in combination, on serum sclerostin and bone turnover marker levels., Design, Setting and Participants: Sclerostin, procollagen type 1 N propeptide (P1NP) and C-terminal telopeptide (β-CTx) levels were pre-defined secondary outcomes of DO-HEALTH, a double blind, randomized controlled trial in healthy physically active older adults in five European countries., Outcome Measures: Changes in yearly serum sclerostin, P1NP and β-CTx levels over 3 years, adjusted for age, sex, prior falls, study site, baseline BMI, and baseline level of the respective outcome., Results: 1,848 participants were included (mean age 74.8 ± 4.4 years, 58.9 % women, 41.4 % 25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL, 83.9 % at least moderately physically active at baseline). Vitamin D3 and omega-3s supplementation alone did not change sclerostin levels significantly, while SHEP compared with control exercise (joint mobility) led to greater decrease in sclerostin levels [-1.56 pmol/L (-2.54, -0.58), p=0.002]. Omega-3s plus SHEP led to a greater decrease in sclerostin levels compared to no omega-3s/control exercise [-1.93pmol/L (-3.31, -0.54), p=0.007]. For P1NP and β-CTx there were no significant effects for any of the individual treatments and treatment combinations., Conclusions: In this 3-year prevention trial among largely vitamin D replete adults age 70 and older, SHEP alone or in combination with omega-3s reduced serum sclerostin levels, while vitamin D3 and omega-3s alone did not affect serum sclerostin levels., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com. See the journal About page for additional terms.)