Adverse childhood experiences, sarcopenia, and social participation in older adults: a cohort study

• Published in: BMC public health Vol. 24; no. 1; p. 711
• Main Authors: Huang, Runnian, Li, Yi, Ma, Chunhua, Ren, Rui, Yuan, Xiaoyue, Peng, Yang, Wang, Difei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 05-03-2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adults; Adverse Childhood Experiences; Age; Aged; Algorithms; Care and treatment; Children; Cohort analysis; Cohort Studies; Confidence intervals; Deprivation; Deprivation-related adverse childhood experiences; Development and progression; Diagnosis; Education; Ethnicity; Health aspects; Humans; Life history; Longitudinal Studies; Muscle strength; Musculoskeletal system; Older people; Population studies; Prospective Studies; Psychic trauma in children; Regression analysis; Regression models; Risk factors; Sarcopenia; Sarcopenia - epidemiology; Social Participation; Socioeconomic factors; Statistical analysis; Surveys; Threat-related adverse childhood experiences; China; Sarcopenia; Threat-related adverse childhood experiences; Adverse childhood experiences; Deprivation-related adverse childhood experiences; Social participation
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18138-0

To examine the relationships between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and developing sarcopenia in older adults and the modifying effects of active social participation.
This prospective cohort study used survey data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, including baseline surveys from 2011, follow-up data from 2013, follow-up data from 2015, and information on ACEs from the 2014 Life History Survey. Information concerning 10 ACEs, including five threat-related ACEs and five deprivation-related ACEs before 17 years of age was obtained by questionnaires through face-to-face interviews. Sarcopenia status was assessed according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 algorithm, consisted of low muscle mass, and low muscle strength, or poor physical performance. The relationship between ACEs, social participation, and sarcopenia was evaluated using Cox proportional hazard regression models.
The study population comprised 6859 older adults in main analyses. Having experienced ≥ 3 ACEs led to an increased 31% risk of developing sarcopenia (hazard ratio [HR]:1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.10-1.56). Participants having experienced ≥ 2 threat-related ACEs (HR:1.22, 95%CI:1.04-1.43) or deprivation-related ACEs (HR:1.22, 95%CI:1.02-1.46) had a 22% higher risk of developing sarcopenia. Active social participation significantly modified the association between ACEs (p < 0.05), especially threat-related ACEs (p < 0.05), and sarcopenia.
ACEs were associated with the development of sarcopenia; however, social participation had a modifying effect. These findings provide insights for early identification of vulnerable groups, advance intervention timing, and highlight the benefits of promoting active social participation among individuals with sarcopenia who have experienced ACEs.