title: Cardiovascular Health Is Associated With Physical Function Among Older Community Dwelling Men and Women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Age related decline in physical function is a significant concern affecting the quality of life of older individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the associations between baseline overall cardiovascular health (CVH), its components, and physical function in 906 men and women from the InCHIANTI cohort. Physical function was assessed using the Short Performance Physical Battery and poor physical function was defined as an Short Performance Physical Battery score less than 10. Overall CVH score, ranging from 0 to 12 in the cohort, was operationalized using adherence to ideal levels for health behaviors including smoking status, physical activity, body mass index, and diet quality; and health factors including blood pressure, plasma cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, with higher scores indicating better CVH.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age at baseline was 74 (SD = 6.7) years and 55% were women. At baseline and over 9 years, as compared to the lowest tertile of overall CVH score, the highest tertile was associated with a 69% (p < .001) and 63% (p < .001), respectively, lower risk of poor physical function. Among the CVH components, adherence to ideal levels of health behaviors was more strongly and consistently associated with lower odds of poor physical function than health factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Better overall CVH was protective against poor physical function in community-dwelling men and women aged 65 years and older. Improving CVH may be instrumental in the prevention of poor physical function in older adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, District of Columbia.
authors.forename: Yichen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Toshiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, District of Columbia.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Azienda Sanitaria di Firenze, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bandinelli
authors.affiliation: Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, District of Columbia.|Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, District of Columbia.|Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at the George Washington University, District of Columbia.
authors.forename: Sameera A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Talegawkar
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D002319:Cardiovascular System; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: InCHIANTI study; Life’s simple 7; Physical performance; Short physical performance battery