International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

Work- and health-related predictors of the discrepancy between

calendar and biological age

Gabriele Freude

Federal Institute for OccupationalSafety and Health,

Berlin, Germany

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

Objectives

The objective of the present study is to identify work- and health-related predictors of the discrepancy between calendar (CA) and biological age (BA).

It can be assumed that protective work- and health-related factors influence the ageing process positively, combined with a “younger“ biological (vital) age as compared to calendar age.

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

Biological age (BA)

• Biological age (vital or functional age) – represents age-related changes of the individual vitality

• Vitality: functionality of an organism in his unity of physical, mental and socio-emotional capabilities

• BA – describes the functional state of an organism

• BA – cannot be measured directly, but only by approximation using certain vitality and age indicators

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

Sample

The total sample consisted of the following subgroups:

100 teachers (female)

60 office workers (female)

65 nursery school teachers (female)

90 teachers (male)

47 management personnels (male)

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

Methods

• Vitality measuring station (Meißner-Pöthig, 1997)

• Work Ability Index (WAI; Ilmarinen, Tuomi et al. 1998)

• Relaxation Inability (RI; Richter et al. 1996))

• Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI; Siegrist 1996)

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

Vitality measuring station

multidimensional test battery (45 vitality indicators):

• cardiopulmonary system• musculoskeletal system• sense organs• body composition• cognitive functions• physical and psychological complaints

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

ResultsDifference CA – BA in the 5 subgroups

T (f) - teachers (female)

OW (f) - office workers (female)

NST (f) - nursery school teachers

(female)

T (m) - teachers (male)

MP (m) - management personnels

(male)

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

ResultsCalendar – Biological Age

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

ResultsCalendar – Biological Age

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

ResultsWork Ability Index

T (f) - teachers (female)

OW (f) - office workers (female)

NST (f) - nursery school teachers (female)

T (m) - teachers (male)

MP (m) - management personnels (male)

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

ResultsHealth-related factors

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

ResultsEffort – Reward

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

ResultsRelaxation Inability

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

Results: Predictors for thediscrepancy of CA – BA

Model 1 Model 2 Model 3Predictor B B B(Constant) 9,01 - 5,05 0,93

T (f) - MP (m) - 4,05 ** - 1,60 n.s.(-6,35)-(-1,74) (-4,03)-(0,84)

OW (f) - MP (m) - 7,76 ** - 6,02 **(-10,40)-(-5,12) (-8,58)-(-3,45)

NST (f) - MP (m) - 7,03 ** - 6,58 **(-9,61)-(-4,45) (-9,01)-(-4,14)

T (m) - MP (m) - 7,16 ** - 3,79 **(-9,44)-(-4,88) (-6,41)-(-1,17)

WAI 7 1,58 ** 1,66 **(0,42)-(2,75) (0,45)-(2,88)

RI 3 - 0,53 n.s. - 1,00 *(-1,27)-(0,21) (-1,77)-(-0,24)

fett mass - 0,21 ** - 0,18 **(-0,31)-(-0,11) (-0,28)-(-0,08)

Reward 0,19 ** 0,14 *(0,07)-(0,32) (0,01)-(0,27)

R²/R²adj. .14/.13 .15/.14 .24/.23

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

Conclusions

• Work- and health-related predictors, which can be regarded both as resources and risks for the ageing process

• Prevention and health promotion should be concentrated• on work-related resources and risks

(factors influencing work ability, effort, gratification)

• on health-related and lifestyle related behaviour and individual resources

(physical activities, “healthy“ diet, measures for improving relaxation ability)

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

Co - Workers

Reingart Seibt : Technical University, Dresden

Matthias Martus and Olga Jacob: Institut for Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charite, Berlin

Uwe Rose: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Berlin

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

ResultsWork Ability Index

International Workshop on posponing ageing Gabriele FreudeCPPWAOctober 9 - 10, 2008 Tallin

ResultsPredictors for the

discrepancy of CA – BA

Model 1 Model 2 Model 3Predictor β β βT (f) - MP (m) - 0,26 ** - 0,10 n. s.OW (f) - MP (m) - 0,39 ** - 0,30 **NST (f) - MP (m) - 0,37 ** - 0,34 **T (m) - MP (m) - 0,47 ** - 0,25 **WAI 7 0,16 ** 0,17 **RI 3 - 0,07 n. s. - 0,14 *fett mass - 0,21 ** - 0,18 **Reward 0,18 ** 0,13 *