Background Diet, in particular the Mediterranean diet, has been associated with better cognitive ... more Background Diet, in particular the Mediterranean diet, has been associated with better cognitive function and less cognitive decline in older populations. Objectives To quantify associations of a healthy diet, defined by adherence to either the Mediterranean diet, the WHO guidelines, or Dutch Health Council dietary guidelines, with cognitive function and cognitive decline from middle age into old age. Methods From the Doetinchem Cohort Study, a large population-based longitudinal study, 3644 participants (51% females) aged 45–75 y at baseline, were included. Global cognitive function, memory, processing speed, and cognitive flexibility were assessed at 5-y time intervals up to 20-y follow-up. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was measured with the modified Mediterranean Diet Score (mMDS), adherence to the WHO dietary guidelines with the Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI), and adherence to the Dutch Health Council dietary guidelines 2015 with the modified Dutch Healthy Diet 2015 index (m...
Background This study explores whether a sex difference in sensitivity to (strength of the associ... more Background This study explores whether a sex difference in sensitivity to (strength of the association) and/or in exposure to (prevalence) determinants of gait speed contributes to the observed lower gait speed among older women compared to men. Methods Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) were used. In total 2407 men and women aged 55–81 years were included, with baseline measurements in 1992/2002 and follow-up measurements every 3–4 years for 15/25 years. Multivariable mixed model analysis was used to investigate sex differences in sensitivity (interaction term with sex) and in exposure to (change of the sex difference when adjusted) socio-demographic, lifestyle, social and health determinants of gait speed. Results Women had a 0.054 m/s (95 % CI: 0.076 − 0.033, adjusted for height and age) lower mean gait speed compared to men. In general, men and women had similar determinants of gait speed. However, higher BMI and lower physical activity were more strongly as...
The Healthy Aging Index (HAI), an index of physiological aging, has been demonstrated to predicts... more The Healthy Aging Index (HAI), an index of physiological aging, has been demonstrated to predicts mortality, morbidity and disability. We studied the longitudinal development of the HAI to identify aging trajectories and evaluated the role of baseline sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle factors of the trajectories. Four measurements with intervals of 5 years were included from the Doetinchem Cohort Study. The HAI reflects levels of systolic blood pressure, non-fasting plasma glucose levels, global cognitive functioning, plasma creatinine levels and lung functioning. The HAI score ranges from 0 to 10: higher scores indicate a better health profile. Latent class mixture modelling was used to model within-person change and to identify aging trajectories. Area under the curve was calculated per trajectory to estimate total healthy years. In total, 2324 women and 2013 men were included. One HAI trajectory was identified for women, and two trajectories for men, labelled 'gradual' aging (76%) and 'early' aging (24%). Men who were medium/high educated, below 36 years at baseline, complied with guidelines on physical activity and were not obese in any round were associated with increased odds to 'gradual' aging of 1.46 (CI: 1.18-1.81), 1.93 (CI: 1.42-2.62), 1.26 (1.02-1.57) and 1.76 (1.32-2.35), respectively. Between 30 and 70 years of age, men in the 'early' aging trajectory had the least healthy years (29.6 years), followed by women (30.1 years), and 'gradual' aging men (34.7 years). This study emphasizes that 'physiological aging' is not only an issue of older ages. Between 30 and 70 years of age, 'early' aging men and women had approximately five healthy years less compared to 'gradual' aging men. Lifestyle factors (e.g. nutrition and physical activity) seem to play an important role in optimal aging. (PIC) that was developed by Newman, Boudreau (Newman et al., 2008), which included measurements of carotid intima-media thickness, pulmonary vital capacity, serum cystatin-C, white matter grade, and serum fasting glucose. The PIC was sensitive to detect subclinical disease in older adults (Newman et al., 2008), but the indicators used for this index are not widely available in epidemiological studies, which limits its wider application (Sanders et al., 2014). The HAI was shown to be a reliable adaptation of the PIC, as it predicts mortality independently of chronological age and comorbidities (Sanders et al., 2012; Sanders et al., 2014; McCabe et al., 2016; Wu et al., 2017). In addition, it was shown that the HAI is associated with the risk of incident disability, mobility limitations, slow gait speed and incident
Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing... more Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
BackgroundPain at any age is related to pain experienced at younger ages, but not much is known o... more BackgroundPain at any age is related to pain experienced at younger ages, but not much is known on how pain develops over the adult life course. We studied long‐term individual trajectories of pain over 15 years of the life course and evaluated the role of baseline sociodemographic factors, lifestyle factors and health characteristics.MethodsLongitudinal data from the Doetinchem Cohort Study was used with 3,485 adults aged 25–71 years at baseline who were measured every 5 years, until the age of 40–86 years. Four measurements of self‐reported pain were used to distinguish 15‐year trajectories of pain, that were summarized in five pre‐definedpatterns.ResultsThe typical pain trajectory patterns were (prevalence): never pain (32.2%), persistent pain (19.5%), development of pain (19.2%), diminishing pain (11.1%) and fluctuating pain (18.0%). Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that the trajectory characterized by never pain was more often found among: men, non‐smokers, those...
Many older adults have low levels of health literacy which affects their ability to participate o... more Many older adults have low levels of health literacy which affects their ability to participate optimally in healthcare. It is unclear how cognitive decline contributes to health literacy. To study this, longitudinal data are needed. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the associations of cognitive functioning and 10-years' cognitive decline with health literacy in older adults. Data from 988 participants (mean age = 65.3) of the Doetinchem Cohort Study were analyzed. Health literacy was measured by the Brief Health Literacy Screening. Memory, mental flexibility, information processing speed, and global cognitive functioning were assessed at the same time as health literacy and also 10 years earlier. Logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusted for age, gender, and educational level. Higher scores on tests in all cognitive domains were associated with a lower likelihood of having low health literacy after adjustment for confounders (all ORs < 0.70, p-values...
Purpose: to describe common trajectories of physical functioning and their determinants among an ... more Purpose: to describe common trajectories of physical functioning and their determinants among an adult cohort, followed over a period of 15 years. Methods: the study sample consisted of 4,123 participants (initial ages 26-70 years) from the Doetinchem Cohort Study, who participated in three or four measurement cycles. Physical functioning was measured with the Dutch version of the SF-36. Using a group-based modelling strategy, trajectories of physical functioning were determined. Weighted multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to identify socio-demographic, lifestyle and health characteristics that differentiate between the trajectories at baseline. Results: five common physical functioning trajectories were distinguished, labelled as 'stable not limited' (27% of the population), 'stable slightly limited' (54%), 'slightly limited substantial deterioration' (7%), 'moderately limited gradual improvement' (9%) and 'stable severely limited' (3%). The characteristics that differentiate between the trajectories with limitations and the trajectory 'stable not limited' were being female, older, physically inactive, overweight or obese, having one or more chronic conditions, poor mental health and poor self-perceived health at baseline. Being younger, physically active, less obese, living with a partner and a good perceived health were characteristics of the trajectory 'moderately limited gradual improvement' compared with 'stable severely limited'. Conclusion: five common trajectories of physical functioning were distinguished in an adult cohort, with most individuals following a stable but slightly limited course of physical functioning. Some early risk indicators were found that in the future might be used to early identify those with limitations in physical functioning.
Sense of coherence (SOC) reflects a coping capacity of people to deal with everyday life stressor... more Sense of coherence (SOC) reflects a coping capacity of people to deal with everyday life stressors and consists of three elements: comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness. SOC is often considered to be a stable entity that is developed in young adulthood and stabilizes around the age of 30. Recent studies have questioned this stability of SOC and some studies report on interventions that have been successful in strengthening SOC in adult populations. Currently, however, there is no clear understanding of the mechanisms underlying SOC. As a consequence, it is a challenge to determine what is needed in health promotion activities to strengthen SOC. This article aims to explore the mechanisms underlying SOC as these insights may underpin future health promotion efforts. An exploration of the salutogenic model suggests two important mechanisms: the behavioural and the perceptual. The behavioural mechanism highlights the possibility to empower people to use their resources in stressful situations. The perceptual mechanism suggests that, in order for people to deal with life stressors, it is essential that they are able to reflect on their understanding of the stressful situation and the resources that are available. Based on these mechanisms, we suggest that both empowerment and reflection processes, which are interdependent, may be relevant for health promotion activities that aim to strengthen SOC. The successful application of resources to deal with stressors is not only likely to have a positive influence on health, but also creates consistent and meaningful life experiences that can positively reinforce SOC levels.
Salutogenese is een benadering die kijkt naar datgene wat mensen gezond maakt en houdt in plaats ... more Salutogenese is een benadering die kijkt naar datgene wat mensen gezond maakt en houdt in plaats van alleen naar risicofactoren te kijken. Een belangrijk concept binnen de salutogenese is ‘Sense of Coherence’ (SOC): de mate waarin iemand mogelijkheden ervaart problemen en stressvolle gebeurtenissen te hanteren. Onderzoek toont aan dat een sterke SOC is geassocieerd met een betere ervaren fysieke en mentale gezondheid, en een gezondere leefstijl. De relatie met ziekte en mortaliteit is echter minder eenduidig. Het doel van deze studie is de associatie tussen SOC en mortaliteit te bestuderen in de Nederlandse populatie.
To study the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among patients attending a rheumatology ou... more To study the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among patients attending a rheumatology outpatient clinic in comparison with the general population. Cross-sectional comparison between a rheumatic outpatient cohort of consecutive patients (n = 1233) between 36 and 75 years of age attending the Arthritis Center Twente (ACT) in the year 2009: RA (n = 546), gout (n = 129), OA (n = 168), CTD (n = 85), PMR (n = 91) and chronic localized or generalized pain syndromes (CPSs; n = 214) and a random sample from a long-lasting population-based health study in the Netherlands (n = 4523). The main outcome measures were hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg and/or a diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg and/or the use of antihypertensive medication), abnormal cholesterol profile (total cholesterol ≥ 6.5 mmol/l, and/or high-density lipoprotein < 0.9 mmol/l and/or use of lipid lowering medication), overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)), obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) and cigarette smoking habi...
Een multimedia campagne gericht op de preventie van lage rugpijn: de potentiële gezondheidswinst ... more Een multimedia campagne gericht op de preventie van lage rugpijn: de potentiële gezondheidswinst HSJ Picavet Dit onderzoek werd verricht in opdracht en ten laste van het Ministerie van VWS, Directie POG in het kader van project 260401/01/BA, Specifiek ziekten: bewegingsapparaat.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 2014
Sense of coherence (SOC) is a health-promoting resource within the salutogenic theory that reflec... more Sense of coherence (SOC) is a health-promoting resource within the salutogenic theory that reflects an individual&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s coping ability. The association between SOC and mental health has been confirmed, but its association with mortality is less clear. We examined the association between SOC and all-cause mortality in an adult Dutch population. Between 1996 and 1998, a postal questionnaire, including the three-item SOC scale, was completed by 12 024 men and women aged 20-65 years, who had participated in a health examination (MORGEN project) 6 months to 3 years earlier. Vital status was recorded up to November 2011; in total, 603 deaths were registered (5%). The participants were divided into three groups with a weak (21.1%), intermediate (60.3%) or strong (18.6%) SOC. Cox proportional hazard models were used with an intermediate SOC as the reference group. Adjustments were made for sex, age, socioeconomic factors, indicators of health status and lifestyle. A weak SOC, as compared with an intermediate SOC, was associated with a higher all-cause mortality risk after, on average, 13.5 years of follow-up and adjusted for sex and age (HR=1.40, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.70). After additional adjustments, the higher all-cause mortality risk remained statistically significant (HR=1.27, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.59). Mortality risk for the strong SOC group did not differ from that for the intermediate group. A weak SOC was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality. Health promotion focusing on strengthening SOC may be a promising new strategy, potentially affecting not only mental health but also mortality.
Introduction Physical activity is suggested to be important for low back pain (LBP) but a major p... more Introduction Physical activity is suggested to be important for low back pain (LBP) but a major problem is the limited validity of the measurement of physical activities, which is usually based on questionnaires. Physical fitness can be viewed as a more objective measurement and our question was how physical activity based on self-reports and objective measured levels of physical fitness were associated with LBP. Materials and methods We analyzed cross-sectional data of 1,723 police employees. Physical activity was assessed by questionnaire (SQUASH) measuring type of activity, intensity, and time spent on these activities. Physical fitness was based on muscular dynamic endurance capacity and peak oxygen uptake (VO 2 peak). Severe LBP, interfering with functioning, was defined by pain ratings C4 on a scale of 0-10. Results Higher levels of physical fitness, both muscular and aerobic, were associated with less LBP (OR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.34-0.86, respectively, 0.59: 95%CI: 0.35-0.99). For self-reported physical activity, both a low and a high level of the total physical activity pattern were associated with an increase of LBP (OR: 1.52; 95%CI: 1.00-2.31, respectively, 1.60; 95%CI: 1.05-2.44). Conclusion These findings suggest that physical activity of an intensity that improves physical fitness may be important in the prevention of LBP.
26 Hooftman WE, van der Beeck AJ, Bongers PM, van Mechelen W. Is there a gender difference in the... more 26 Hooftman WE, van der Beeck AJ, Bongers PM, van Mechelen W. Is there a gender difference in the effect of work-related physical and psychosocial risk factors on musculoskeletal symptoms and related sickness absence.
Much progress has been made in the past decades in unraveling the mechanisms that are responsible... more Much progress has been made in the past decades in unraveling the mechanisms that are responsible for aging. The discovery that particular gene mutations in experimental species such as yeast, flies, and nematodes are associated with longevity has led to many important insights into pathways that regulate aging processes. However, extrapolating laboratory findings in experimental species to knowledge that is valid for the complexity of human physiology remains a major challenge. Apart from the restricted experimental possibilities, studying aging in humans is further complicated by the development of various age-related diseases. The availability of a set of biomarkers that really reflect underlying aging processes would be of much value in disentangling ageassociated pathology from specific aging mechanisms. In this review, we survey the literature to identify promising biochemical markers of aging, with a particular focus on using them in longitudinal studies of aging in humans that entail repeated measurements on easily obtainable material, such as blood samples. Our search strategy was a 2-pronged approach, one focused on general mechanisms of aging and one including studies on clinical biomarkers of age-related diseases.
Background: Stress has been shown to be a determinant of weight change and risk for obesity. To d... more Background: Stress has been shown to be a determinant of weight change and risk for obesity. To date, there is scarce evidence that stressful life events and their severity contribute to changes in body weight. We studied the association between the occurrence, impact of and adaptation to adverse life events and weight change and the role of initial weight status. Methods: Analyses were based on data from a population-based cohort of 2789 adults. Adverse life events, their impact and adaptation were measured retrospectively after baseline and follow-up weight and height measurements. Results: Over six years, participants gained an average of 2.8 kg. There were no differences in weight change between those who had experienced an adverse life event versus those who had not. However, the impact of life events had a significant interaction with initial weight status. Adults with a healthy weight showed an average weight reduction of 0.2 kg (95% CIs:-0.7-0.2), and overweight adults showed an average weight gain of 0.4 kg (95% CIs:-0.3-1.1) for each point increase in impact after experiencing an adverse life event. Further, a slower adaptation to events was significantly associated with greater weight loss among those who lost weight. Conclusions: We found no proof for an association between life events and weight change in the entire study sample, but we found that adults at a healthy weight responded differently to adverse life events than those who were overweight.
Background Diet, in particular the Mediterranean diet, has been associated with better cognitive ... more Background Diet, in particular the Mediterranean diet, has been associated with better cognitive function and less cognitive decline in older populations. Objectives To quantify associations of a healthy diet, defined by adherence to either the Mediterranean diet, the WHO guidelines, or Dutch Health Council dietary guidelines, with cognitive function and cognitive decline from middle age into old age. Methods From the Doetinchem Cohort Study, a large population-based longitudinal study, 3644 participants (51% females) aged 45–75 y at baseline, were included. Global cognitive function, memory, processing speed, and cognitive flexibility were assessed at 5-y time intervals up to 20-y follow-up. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was measured with the modified Mediterranean Diet Score (mMDS), adherence to the WHO dietary guidelines with the Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI), and adherence to the Dutch Health Council dietary guidelines 2015 with the modified Dutch Healthy Diet 2015 index (m...
Background This study explores whether a sex difference in sensitivity to (strength of the associ... more Background This study explores whether a sex difference in sensitivity to (strength of the association) and/or in exposure to (prevalence) determinants of gait speed contributes to the observed lower gait speed among older women compared to men. Methods Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) were used. In total 2407 men and women aged 55–81 years were included, with baseline measurements in 1992/2002 and follow-up measurements every 3–4 years for 15/25 years. Multivariable mixed model analysis was used to investigate sex differences in sensitivity (interaction term with sex) and in exposure to (change of the sex difference when adjusted) socio-demographic, lifestyle, social and health determinants of gait speed. Results Women had a 0.054 m/s (95 % CI: 0.076 − 0.033, adjusted for height and age) lower mean gait speed compared to men. In general, men and women had similar determinants of gait speed. However, higher BMI and lower physical activity were more strongly as...
The Healthy Aging Index (HAI), an index of physiological aging, has been demonstrated to predicts... more The Healthy Aging Index (HAI), an index of physiological aging, has been demonstrated to predicts mortality, morbidity and disability. We studied the longitudinal development of the HAI to identify aging trajectories and evaluated the role of baseline sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle factors of the trajectories. Four measurements with intervals of 5 years were included from the Doetinchem Cohort Study. The HAI reflects levels of systolic blood pressure, non-fasting plasma glucose levels, global cognitive functioning, plasma creatinine levels and lung functioning. The HAI score ranges from 0 to 10: higher scores indicate a better health profile. Latent class mixture modelling was used to model within-person change and to identify aging trajectories. Area under the curve was calculated per trajectory to estimate total healthy years. In total, 2324 women and 2013 men were included. One HAI trajectory was identified for women, and two trajectories for men, labelled 'gradual' aging (76%) and 'early' aging (24%). Men who were medium/high educated, below 36 years at baseline, complied with guidelines on physical activity and were not obese in any round were associated with increased odds to 'gradual' aging of 1.46 (CI: 1.18-1.81), 1.93 (CI: 1.42-2.62), 1.26 (1.02-1.57) and 1.76 (1.32-2.35), respectively. Between 30 and 70 years of age, men in the 'early' aging trajectory had the least healthy years (29.6 years), followed by women (30.1 years), and 'gradual' aging men (34.7 years). This study emphasizes that 'physiological aging' is not only an issue of older ages. Between 30 and 70 years of age, 'early' aging men and women had approximately five healthy years less compared to 'gradual' aging men. Lifestyle factors (e.g. nutrition and physical activity) seem to play an important role in optimal aging. (PIC) that was developed by Newman, Boudreau (Newman et al., 2008), which included measurements of carotid intima-media thickness, pulmonary vital capacity, serum cystatin-C, white matter grade, and serum fasting glucose. The PIC was sensitive to detect subclinical disease in older adults (Newman et al., 2008), but the indicators used for this index are not widely available in epidemiological studies, which limits its wider application (Sanders et al., 2014). The HAI was shown to be a reliable adaptation of the PIC, as it predicts mortality independently of chronological age and comorbidities (Sanders et al., 2012; Sanders et al., 2014; McCabe et al., 2016; Wu et al., 2017). In addition, it was shown that the HAI is associated with the risk of incident disability, mobility limitations, slow gait speed and incident
Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing... more Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
BackgroundPain at any age is related to pain experienced at younger ages, but not much is known o... more BackgroundPain at any age is related to pain experienced at younger ages, but not much is known on how pain develops over the adult life course. We studied long‐term individual trajectories of pain over 15 years of the life course and evaluated the role of baseline sociodemographic factors, lifestyle factors and health characteristics.MethodsLongitudinal data from the Doetinchem Cohort Study was used with 3,485 adults aged 25–71 years at baseline who were measured every 5 years, until the age of 40–86 years. Four measurements of self‐reported pain were used to distinguish 15‐year trajectories of pain, that were summarized in five pre‐definedpatterns.ResultsThe typical pain trajectory patterns were (prevalence): never pain (32.2%), persistent pain (19.5%), development of pain (19.2%), diminishing pain (11.1%) and fluctuating pain (18.0%). Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that the trajectory characterized by never pain was more often found among: men, non‐smokers, those...
Many older adults have low levels of health literacy which affects their ability to participate o... more Many older adults have low levels of health literacy which affects their ability to participate optimally in healthcare. It is unclear how cognitive decline contributes to health literacy. To study this, longitudinal data are needed. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the associations of cognitive functioning and 10-years' cognitive decline with health literacy in older adults. Data from 988 participants (mean age = 65.3) of the Doetinchem Cohort Study were analyzed. Health literacy was measured by the Brief Health Literacy Screening. Memory, mental flexibility, information processing speed, and global cognitive functioning were assessed at the same time as health literacy and also 10 years earlier. Logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusted for age, gender, and educational level. Higher scores on tests in all cognitive domains were associated with a lower likelihood of having low health literacy after adjustment for confounders (all ORs < 0.70, p-values...
Purpose: to describe common trajectories of physical functioning and their determinants among an ... more Purpose: to describe common trajectories of physical functioning and their determinants among an adult cohort, followed over a period of 15 years. Methods: the study sample consisted of 4,123 participants (initial ages 26-70 years) from the Doetinchem Cohort Study, who participated in three or four measurement cycles. Physical functioning was measured with the Dutch version of the SF-36. Using a group-based modelling strategy, trajectories of physical functioning were determined. Weighted multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to identify socio-demographic, lifestyle and health characteristics that differentiate between the trajectories at baseline. Results: five common physical functioning trajectories were distinguished, labelled as 'stable not limited' (27% of the population), 'stable slightly limited' (54%), 'slightly limited substantial deterioration' (7%), 'moderately limited gradual improvement' (9%) and 'stable severely limited' (3%). The characteristics that differentiate between the trajectories with limitations and the trajectory 'stable not limited' were being female, older, physically inactive, overweight or obese, having one or more chronic conditions, poor mental health and poor self-perceived health at baseline. Being younger, physically active, less obese, living with a partner and a good perceived health were characteristics of the trajectory 'moderately limited gradual improvement' compared with 'stable severely limited'. Conclusion: five common trajectories of physical functioning were distinguished in an adult cohort, with most individuals following a stable but slightly limited course of physical functioning. Some early risk indicators were found that in the future might be used to early identify those with limitations in physical functioning.
Sense of coherence (SOC) reflects a coping capacity of people to deal with everyday life stressor... more Sense of coherence (SOC) reflects a coping capacity of people to deal with everyday life stressors and consists of three elements: comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness. SOC is often considered to be a stable entity that is developed in young adulthood and stabilizes around the age of 30. Recent studies have questioned this stability of SOC and some studies report on interventions that have been successful in strengthening SOC in adult populations. Currently, however, there is no clear understanding of the mechanisms underlying SOC. As a consequence, it is a challenge to determine what is needed in health promotion activities to strengthen SOC. This article aims to explore the mechanisms underlying SOC as these insights may underpin future health promotion efforts. An exploration of the salutogenic model suggests two important mechanisms: the behavioural and the perceptual. The behavioural mechanism highlights the possibility to empower people to use their resources in stressful situations. The perceptual mechanism suggests that, in order for people to deal with life stressors, it is essential that they are able to reflect on their understanding of the stressful situation and the resources that are available. Based on these mechanisms, we suggest that both empowerment and reflection processes, which are interdependent, may be relevant for health promotion activities that aim to strengthen SOC. The successful application of resources to deal with stressors is not only likely to have a positive influence on health, but also creates consistent and meaningful life experiences that can positively reinforce SOC levels.
Salutogenese is een benadering die kijkt naar datgene wat mensen gezond maakt en houdt in plaats ... more Salutogenese is een benadering die kijkt naar datgene wat mensen gezond maakt en houdt in plaats van alleen naar risicofactoren te kijken. Een belangrijk concept binnen de salutogenese is ‘Sense of Coherence’ (SOC): de mate waarin iemand mogelijkheden ervaart problemen en stressvolle gebeurtenissen te hanteren. Onderzoek toont aan dat een sterke SOC is geassocieerd met een betere ervaren fysieke en mentale gezondheid, en een gezondere leefstijl. De relatie met ziekte en mortaliteit is echter minder eenduidig. Het doel van deze studie is de associatie tussen SOC en mortaliteit te bestuderen in de Nederlandse populatie.
To study the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among patients attending a rheumatology ou... more To study the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among patients attending a rheumatology outpatient clinic in comparison with the general population. Cross-sectional comparison between a rheumatic outpatient cohort of consecutive patients (n = 1233) between 36 and 75 years of age attending the Arthritis Center Twente (ACT) in the year 2009: RA (n = 546), gout (n = 129), OA (n = 168), CTD (n = 85), PMR (n = 91) and chronic localized or generalized pain syndromes (CPSs; n = 214) and a random sample from a long-lasting population-based health study in the Netherlands (n = 4523). The main outcome measures were hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg and/or a diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg and/or the use of antihypertensive medication), abnormal cholesterol profile (total cholesterol ≥ 6.5 mmol/l, and/or high-density lipoprotein < 0.9 mmol/l and/or use of lipid lowering medication), overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)), obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) and cigarette smoking habi...
Een multimedia campagne gericht op de preventie van lage rugpijn: de potentiële gezondheidswinst ... more Een multimedia campagne gericht op de preventie van lage rugpijn: de potentiële gezondheidswinst HSJ Picavet Dit onderzoek werd verricht in opdracht en ten laste van het Ministerie van VWS, Directie POG in het kader van project 260401/01/BA, Specifiek ziekten: bewegingsapparaat.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 2014
Sense of coherence (SOC) is a health-promoting resource within the salutogenic theory that reflec... more Sense of coherence (SOC) is a health-promoting resource within the salutogenic theory that reflects an individual&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s coping ability. The association between SOC and mental health has been confirmed, but its association with mortality is less clear. We examined the association between SOC and all-cause mortality in an adult Dutch population. Between 1996 and 1998, a postal questionnaire, including the three-item SOC scale, was completed by 12 024 men and women aged 20-65 years, who had participated in a health examination (MORGEN project) 6 months to 3 years earlier. Vital status was recorded up to November 2011; in total, 603 deaths were registered (5%). The participants were divided into three groups with a weak (21.1%), intermediate (60.3%) or strong (18.6%) SOC. Cox proportional hazard models were used with an intermediate SOC as the reference group. Adjustments were made for sex, age, socioeconomic factors, indicators of health status and lifestyle. A weak SOC, as compared with an intermediate SOC, was associated with a higher all-cause mortality risk after, on average, 13.5 years of follow-up and adjusted for sex and age (HR=1.40, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.70). After additional adjustments, the higher all-cause mortality risk remained statistically significant (HR=1.27, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.59). Mortality risk for the strong SOC group did not differ from that for the intermediate group. A weak SOC was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality. Health promotion focusing on strengthening SOC may be a promising new strategy, potentially affecting not only mental health but also mortality.
Introduction Physical activity is suggested to be important for low back pain (LBP) but a major p... more Introduction Physical activity is suggested to be important for low back pain (LBP) but a major problem is the limited validity of the measurement of physical activities, which is usually based on questionnaires. Physical fitness can be viewed as a more objective measurement and our question was how physical activity based on self-reports and objective measured levels of physical fitness were associated with LBP. Materials and methods We analyzed cross-sectional data of 1,723 police employees. Physical activity was assessed by questionnaire (SQUASH) measuring type of activity, intensity, and time spent on these activities. Physical fitness was based on muscular dynamic endurance capacity and peak oxygen uptake (VO 2 peak). Severe LBP, interfering with functioning, was defined by pain ratings C4 on a scale of 0-10. Results Higher levels of physical fitness, both muscular and aerobic, were associated with less LBP (OR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.34-0.86, respectively, 0.59: 95%CI: 0.35-0.99). For self-reported physical activity, both a low and a high level of the total physical activity pattern were associated with an increase of LBP (OR: 1.52; 95%CI: 1.00-2.31, respectively, 1.60; 95%CI: 1.05-2.44). Conclusion These findings suggest that physical activity of an intensity that improves physical fitness may be important in the prevention of LBP.
26 Hooftman WE, van der Beeck AJ, Bongers PM, van Mechelen W. Is there a gender difference in the... more 26 Hooftman WE, van der Beeck AJ, Bongers PM, van Mechelen W. Is there a gender difference in the effect of work-related physical and psychosocial risk factors on musculoskeletal symptoms and related sickness absence.
Much progress has been made in the past decades in unraveling the mechanisms that are responsible... more Much progress has been made in the past decades in unraveling the mechanisms that are responsible for aging. The discovery that particular gene mutations in experimental species such as yeast, flies, and nematodes are associated with longevity has led to many important insights into pathways that regulate aging processes. However, extrapolating laboratory findings in experimental species to knowledge that is valid for the complexity of human physiology remains a major challenge. Apart from the restricted experimental possibilities, studying aging in humans is further complicated by the development of various age-related diseases. The availability of a set of biomarkers that really reflect underlying aging processes would be of much value in disentangling ageassociated pathology from specific aging mechanisms. In this review, we survey the literature to identify promising biochemical markers of aging, with a particular focus on using them in longitudinal studies of aging in humans that entail repeated measurements on easily obtainable material, such as blood samples. Our search strategy was a 2-pronged approach, one focused on general mechanisms of aging and one including studies on clinical biomarkers of age-related diseases.
Background: Stress has been shown to be a determinant of weight change and risk for obesity. To d... more Background: Stress has been shown to be a determinant of weight change and risk for obesity. To date, there is scarce evidence that stressful life events and their severity contribute to changes in body weight. We studied the association between the occurrence, impact of and adaptation to adverse life events and weight change and the role of initial weight status. Methods: Analyses were based on data from a population-based cohort of 2789 adults. Adverse life events, their impact and adaptation were measured retrospectively after baseline and follow-up weight and height measurements. Results: Over six years, participants gained an average of 2.8 kg. There were no differences in weight change between those who had experienced an adverse life event versus those who had not. However, the impact of life events had a significant interaction with initial weight status. Adults with a healthy weight showed an average weight reduction of 0.2 kg (95% CIs:-0.7-0.2), and overweight adults showed an average weight gain of 0.4 kg (95% CIs:-0.3-1.1) for each point increase in impact after experiencing an adverse life event. Further, a slower adaptation to events was significantly associated with greater weight loss among those who lost weight. Conclusions: We found no proof for an association between life events and weight change in the entire study sample, but we found that adults at a healthy weight responded differently to adverse life events than those who were overweight.
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Papers by Susan Picavet