Four Factors in Midlife Predict a Healthy Old Age for Women

Examining a woman's health in midlife can predict her health decades later, researchers say.

Four specific factors — higher body mass index (BMI), smoking, arthritis and depressive symptoms — at age 55 are associated with clinically important declines in physical health 10 years later, a new study reports.

"Age 55 to 65 may be a critical decade," study co-author Dr. Daniel Solomon, of the division of rheumatology, inflammation, and immunity at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston shares.

"A person's health and factors during this period may set them on a path for their later adult years. The good news is that a large proportion of women at midlife are very stable and will not go on to experience declines. But being able to identify women at higher risk could help lead to interventions targeted to them," Solomon says.

For the study, the research team used data from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, that followed U.S. women from 1996 through 2016. The investigators studied their health status measures, lab measurements and imaging assessments.

The researchers compared the women's overall scores at age 55 to their scores at age 65, finding that 20% of the women they studied experienced clinically important declines in their physical health.

Women who had higher baseline physical health and function were less likely to experience a decline. Factors associated with a decline included higher BMI (a measurement based on height and weight), lower educational attainment, current smoking, clinically significant depressive symptoms and other health issues, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis and osteoporosis.

Though the participants were diverse and representative, the study was small in size, with only 1,091 women. The findings will need to be validated in a larger group, the study authors noted.

The investigators are working to determine how they might apply their results to clinical practice. This could include developing a risk score that doctors and their patients could use to determine the likelihood of future declines in health status.

"As a clinician and epidemiologist, I often think about the window of opportunity at midlife, when people are vital, engaged and resilient," Solomon said in a hospital news release. "If we can identify risk factors and determine who is at risk, we may be able to find interventions that can stave off health declines and help put people on a better health trajectory."

Tips for staying healthy in midlife

The years before and after menopause, otherwise known as midlife, can bring a range of physical and emotional changes. However, if you make healthy choices in your midlife you can remain healthy throughout the years and prevent your health from declining. Making healthy choices typically involves:

Eating healthy: Eating healthy can prevent midlife weight gain and reduce your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, breast, colorectal cancers and bone loss (osteoporosis). Aim for more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seafood, healthy fats, foods rich in vitamin D and soy, and limit salt and sodium and alcohol intake.
Exercise: Exercise is even more important for women in midlife. Physical activity can improve arthritis pain, immune system function, self-confidence, energy and ability to relax, bone and muscle strength, sleep and mood. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week.
Health screenings: After menopause, your risk for breast cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis increases. This makes it even more important to get your specific health screenings so that you can catch these conditions early and get treated effectively. Talk with your doctor about what screenings you may need to take. If you have a family history of any of these conditions, let your doctor know.

As noted before, midlife can also have a toll on your emotional and mental health. It can bring on:

Difficulty with sleeping or concentration
Tiredness
Worsening premenstrual symptoms (PMS)
Mood swings or irritability
Anxiety or depression

You may be able to take care of your own emotional or mental health on your own, however, in some cases, you may need to seek professional help. If you have any of the following symptoms for 2 weeks or longer, seek professional help: