Page 26 - IJPS-11-1

International Journal of
Population Studies A review on early-life determinants of frailty

frailty among older adults in Scotland. The participants’ response systems (Ridley et al., 2020). Socioeconomically
educational attainment partially explained the effect of the disadvantaged individuals are more likely to adopt
father’s social class on frailty. Similarly, Rogers et al. (2021) unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and physical
investigated the association between social class, classified inactivity, which subsequently heightens their risk of
into four categories, and frailty among 8711 adults aged developing frailty.
at least 50 years from the 1958 British birth cohort.
Individuals with fathers in the highest social class (class I/ 3.3. Lifestyle factors
II professional/managerial) had a 10.3%, 27.8%, and 42.0% Childhood health and nutritional status have consistently
lower risk of frailty than those in the class III skilled non- emerged as vital factors influencing the risk of frailty in old
manual, class III skilled manual, and classes IV/V partly/ age. Research continually points toward individuals who
unskilled manual category, respectively. had adverse health conditions and dietary shortcomings
in childhood as being more prone to frailty in their later
By analyzing data from a survey focused on older adults
residing in five major Latin American cities, Alvarado et al. years.
(2008) found that individuals reporting good childhood 3.3.1. Childhood health status
socioeconomic circumstances were less likely to be frail
later in life than those reporting poor socioeconomic Alvarado et al. (2008) found that individuals reporting
circumstances during childhood; the adjusted ORs excellent childhood health were less likely to develop frailty
ranged from 1.05 to 1.52 across five cities. Herr et al. in old age than those reporting poor health in childhood.
(2015) found that living standards in childhood (well-off, Li et al. (2020) also detected the same pattern in China.
limited, or deprived) could influence the development Through the examination of the association between
of frailty. Individuals who experienced constrained childhood health status and frailty in old age among over
or underprivileged living conditions had an elevated 6000 older Chinese adults, they found that individuals
risk of frailty than those who lived in more prosperous reporting better health before reaching age 15 had a 26%
circumstances. Similar findings were reported in developing lower risk of frailty in old age than those reporting average
countries. By examining the relationship between a family’s health. Worse childhood health was linked to a 2.9%
increase in frailty risk.
financial situation and frailty among older Chinese adults,
Li et al. (2020) found that individuals in a better financial 3.3.2. Nutritional status
situation had a substantially reduced likelihood of becoming
frail compared to those in worse economic conditions. Van Research has consistently highlighted a negative
der Linden et al. (2020) explored the mechanisms linking relationship between nutritional adequacy and frailty,
early-life socioeconomic conditions and frailty in old age. suggesting that nutritional deficiencies increase the risk
Using data from 21,185 individuals aged at least 50 years of frailty over one’s lifespan. Alvarado et al. (2008) found
from 14 European countries, they found that adulthood that individuals living in Latin America who experienced
socioeconomic conditions (i.e., education, occupational hunger during childhood had a significantly higher risk of
frailty, with OR ranging from 1.15 to 1.70. By analyzing
class, and satisfaction with household income) mediated the data from over 6000 older Chinese adults, Li et al. (2020)
association between childhood socioeconomic conditions
and risk of frailty. A recent study focused on the gender- found that severe starvation (i.e., a family member starved
specific impact of childhood socioeconomic deprivation to death) during childhood was associated with a 30%
higher risk of being prefrail. Based on the data from the
on frailty among Chinese middle-aged and older adults, same study, Ye et al. (2021) found that experience of food
showing that this association was more pronounced deficiency during childhood (i.e., not enough food to eat
in women than men (Wang, 2023a). Taken together, before age 12) was associated with 30% higher odds of
these findings underline the importance of addressing frailty in old age. In addition, Gao et al. (2022) found that
socioeconomic disparities throughout life to reduce the risk early-life nutritional deprivation could increase the risk of
of frailty in late adulthood, particularly among women.
frailty in old age using data from 7342 older Chinese adults
Poor early-life socioeconomic conditions are associated in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey.
with a higher risk of frailty in later life through various They revealed that individuals having experienced hunger
interconnected mechanisms. Nutritional deficiencies in childhood (i.e., often went to bed hungry as a child)
during critical developmental periods can influence had 13% higher odds of being frail than those without.
physical growth and immune function (Smith & These results collectively suggest that prevention of food
Pollak, 2020). Chronic stress associated with economic deficiency during childhood might delay or even prevent
hardship could result in long-term alterations in stress frailty among middle-aged and older adults.

Volume 11 Issue 1 (2025) 20 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.1982