Objectives The older population and prevalence of frailty are increasing worldwide. Understanding how midlife exposures influence frailty risk is increasingly important for public health. This review sought to identify modifiable risk factors present in midlife that are associated with the onset of frailty in later life, aiming to inform earlier prevention strategies. Methods We conducted a systematic review of studies examining modifiable risk factors in community-dwelling adults aged 39–64 years, using three databases and strict inclusion criteria, following PRISMA guidelines. Results Twenty cohort studies identified 27 modifiable risk factors across six domains; Lifestyle, Psychological, Social, Physical, Environmental, and Biochemical. Lifestyle factors such as physical activity, diet, smoking, alcohol use, and body composition were the most prominent. Conclusion Promoting awareness may empower midlife adults to instigate changes to reduce future frailty risk. Further research should clarify the causal strength of these factors to guide prevention efforts.
Longworth et al. (Thu,) studied this question.