title: Association of quality of life with laboratory measurements and lifestyle factors in community dwelling older people in Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known about the influence of routine laboratory measurements and lifestyle factors on generic quality of life (QOL) at older ages. We aimed to study the relationship between generic QOL and laboratory measurements and lifestyle factors in community dwelling older Chinese people.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional analysis. Six hundred and ninety nine elders were randomly selected from the examinees of the annual health examination in Taipei City, Taiwan. Blood, urine and stool of the participants were examined and lifestyle data were collected. Participants completed the CASP-19 (control, autonomy, self-realization, pleasure) questionnaire, a 19-item QOL scale. The relationship between QOL and laboratory results and lifestyle factors was explored, using multiple linear regression and profile analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the participants was 75.5 years (SD = 6.5), and 49.5% were female. Male gender standardized β coefficients (β = 0.122) and exercise habit (β = 0.170) were associated with a better QOL, whereas advanced age (β = -0.242), blurred vision (β = -0.143), depression (β = -0.125), central obesity (β = -0.093), anemia (β = -0.095), rheumatoid arthritis (β = -0.073), Parkinsonism (β = -0.079), malignancy (β = -0.086) and motorcycle riding (β = -0.086) were associated with a lower QOL. Profile analysis revealed that young-old males, social drinkers, regular exercisers and car drivers had the best QOL (all p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Of the many laboratory measurements, only anemia was associated with the lower QOL. By contrast, several lifestyle factors, such as social drinking, exercise habit and car driving, were associated with better QOL, whereas abdominal obesity and motorcycle riding were associated with lower QOL.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine , National Taiwan University , Taipei , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tai-Yin
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wei-Chu
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chie
authors.forename: Jen-Pei
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chen-Kun
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Liaw
authors.forename: Gopalakrishnan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Netuveli
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blane
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000208:ethnology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: clinical status; lifestyle factors; old age; quality of life