The heterogeneous nature of obesity phenotypes and their relationship to diseases in older adults, particularly in China, remains poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the distribution of key obesity phenotypes among older Chinese adults and assess their associations with multiple incident health outcomes. This cohort study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, a nationally representative survey conducted between 2011 and 2020. We analyzed obesity phenotypes, including metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO), metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), sarcopenic obesity (SO), nonsarcopenic obesity (NSO), inflammatory obesity (IO), and noninflammatory obesity (NIO), in adults aged 60 years or older, and assessed their associations with cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, diabetes, and depressive symptoms. Obesity phenotypes were categorized based on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and additional criteria related to cardiometabolic health, inflammation, and muscle strength. CVD, stroke, diabetes, and depressive symptoms were the primary outcomes, assessed using self-reported diagnoses and clinical measures. Associations between obesity phenotypes and incident health outcomes were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Among 5,971 participants, 42.1
Stressful life events (SLEs) are established precursors to adverse geriatric outcomes; however, their association with hip fracture risk and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study evaluated the association between SLEs and incident hip fracture among Chinese older adults, specifically examining depressive symptoms as a potential intermediary pathway. In this prospective cohort study, we utilized data from 3,706 participants (aged ≥ 65 years) from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011–2020). SLEs were quantified across five key adulthood domains. Incident hip fractures were ascertained through standardized self-reports. Time-to-event outcomes were analyzed using multivariable Cox regression and exploratory mediation analysis for depressive symptoms. Over a 9-year follow-up, 218 (5.9
Although emotional eating has been widely studied in younger and community-dwelling adult populations, evidence regarding its association with anthropometric, biochemical, and selected cardiometabolic risk indicators among hospitalized older adults remains limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify factors associated with emotional eating among hospitalized older adults, with particular emphasis on selected cardiometabolic risk indicators. This cross-sectional study included 300 adults aged 65 years and older. Sociodemographic, anthropometric (body mass index [BMI], waist-to-hip ratio [WHR]), and biochemical measurements (high-density lipoprotein [HDL], blood glucose, creatinine) were collected. Emotional eating behaviors were assessed using the Emotional Eating Scale (EES). Associations between emotional eating and related variables were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. Of the participants, 58.3
Hip fractures are a major health concern among older adults, particularly in residential care homes where the risk of falls and fall-related injuries is substantially higher than those in community settings. Hip protectors have been shown to reduce the risk of hip fracture when worn during a fall; however, poor user compliance limits their effectiveness. Conventional hip protectors are often uncomfortable and poorly fitted, which discourages regular use. Customized hip protectors produced through 3D printing technology may improve comfort and fit, potentially enhancing adherence. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of customized 3D-printed hip protectors in improving user compliance and reducing fall-related hip injuries among older adults in care homes. This study is a 12-month, two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial conducted in residential care homes in Hong Kong. Thirty care homes will be randomly allocated to either the intervention group or the control group, with approximately 10 participants recruited from each home (total n = 300). Participants in the intervention group will receive customized 3D-printed hip protectors in the size that best fits their body size and pelvic shape, while those in the control group will receive conventional hip protectors. All participants will be encouraged to wear hip protectors for 12 months. The primary outcomes include acceptance rate, adherence rate (day and night), percentage of protected falls, and percentage of protected residents. Secondary outcomes include incidence of hip injury, adverse effects related to hip protector use, costs of using hip protectors, and perceived benefits reported by older adults and care staff. Quantitative data will be analysed using regression models and generalized estimating equations to account for clustering, while qualitative interview data will be analysed using thematic analysis. This trial will determine whether customized 3D-printed hip protectors improve acceptance of and adherence to hip protectors among older adults in care homes, compared with conventional hip protectors. If they do, the findings could support the use of customized hip protection as part of fall-injury prevention in residential care. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2500111563. Registered on 3 November 2025.
Old people living with frailty are more susceptible to side effects from polypharmacy, which can lead to poor quality of life (QOL). Medication review is considered an important intervention; it includes a structured assessment of individuals’ medications in view of drug-drug interactions, medication appropriateness and side effects. Thus, it constitutes an important concept for reducing the side effects of polypharmacy. The aim of this scoping review was to map the evidence and identify research gaps. A systematic scoping review of the literature was conducted following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework [1]. Studies were eligible if the included participants were above 65 years of age, living with frailty and polypharmacy (more than five prescribed medications). Thematic and content analysis were used to analyse the charted data. The review was reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. The results of the nine included studies indicated little or no significant effect of the medication review intervention on the QOL, although some studies showed a tendency towards positive outcomes, Furthermore, QOL was not conceptualised, and the authors did not explore any correlation between the different levels of frailty/polypharmacy and the selected outcomes within each included study. This scoping review highlights significant methodological heterogeneity in studies on medication review and its impact on QOL in frail patients with polypharmacy. While short-term trends suggest potential benefits, the lack of standardized methods, small sample sizes, and short intervention durations limit generalisability and clinical applicability. The review calls for more long-term, standardized research using frailty-specific QOL tools.
