Intrinsic capacity deficits across the lifespan in a nationally representative community cohort: findings from the Queenstown study.

Authors

Li Feng Tan, Alicia Le How, Xin Xiang Lee, Benjamin Y Q Tan, Yee Wei Lim, Leonard Lee, Shuna S Khoo, Lile Jia, Reshma A Merchant, Health District at Queenstown

Published in

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics. Volume 140. Pages 106031. Sep 22, 2025. Epub Sep 22, 2025.

Abstract

Intrinsic capacity (IC) is central to the World Health Organization's life course approach to healthy ageing. Population-level data across the lifespan remain limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of IC deficits and to identify sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors associated with these deficits in a nationally representative community cohort in Singapore.
Cross-sectional survey of adults aged ≥21 years in the Queenstown Study. IC was assessed using a modified WHO ICOPE Step 1 screening approach. Sociodemographic and health data were collected.
Among 4274 participants, 29.2 % had ≥1 IC deficit; prevalence rose stepwise with age from 10.3 % (20-39 years) to 19.1 % (40-59), 45.0 % (60-79) and 74.5 % (≥80 years). Locomotion (16.8 %) and sensory (11.4 %) deficits were most common. In multivariable analysis, IC deficits were associated with older age (OR 1.05 per year, 95 % CI 1.04-1.06, p < 0.001), female sex (OR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.01-1.40, p = 0.037), underweight (OR 1.61, 95 % CI 1.18-2.20, p = 0.003), and obesity (OR 1.36, 95 % CI 1.07-1.71, p = 0.011), frailty (OR 10.94, 95 % CI 3.57-48.14, p < 0.001), impaired instrumental ADLs (OR 3.93, 95 % CI 2.11-7.84, p < 0.001), low handgrip strength (OR 1.68, 95 % CI 1.43-1.97, p < 0.001), diabetes (OR 1.45, 95 % CI 1.12-1.87, p = 0.004), and social isolation (OR 1.23, 95 % CI 1.04-1.45, p = 0.014). Higher quality of life was protective (OR 0.84, 95 % CI 0.80-0.89, p < 0.001).
IC deficits were prevalent even in midlife and linked to modifiable factors. These findings support the need for early, multidomain interventions to preserve function and promote healthy ageing across adulthood.

PMID:
41045866
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 05 Oct 2025.

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