@article{ref1,
title="Low serum carotenoids and development of severe walking disability among older women living in the community: the women's health and aging study I",
journal="Age and ageing",
year="2007",
author="Semba, Richard D. and Varadhan, Ravi and Bartali, Benedetta and Ferrucci, Luigi and Ricks, Michelle O. and Blaum, Caroline and Fried, Linda P.",
volume="36",
number="1",
pages="62-67",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: to determine whether low serum carotenoid levels, an indicator of low intake of fruits and vegetables, are associated with the progression of disability in older women. DESIGN: longitudinal analysis in a population-based cohort. SETTING: moderately-severely disabled women, >or=65 years, living in the community in Baltimore, Maryland (the Women's Health and Aging Study I). PARTICIPANTS: 554 women without severe walking disability (inability to walk or walking speed <0.4 m/s) at baseline. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: incidence of severe walking disability assessed every 6 months over 3 years. RESULTS: 155 women (27.9%) developed severe walking disability during follow-up. Rates of development of severe walking disability per 100 person-years among women in the lowest and in the three upper quartiles of total carotenoids were, respectively, 13.8 versus 10.9 (P=0.0017). Adjusting for confounders, women in the lowest quartile of total carotenoids were more likely to develop severe walking disability (hazards ratio 1.57, 95% confidence interval 1.24-2.00, P=0.0002) compared with women in the three upper quartiles. CONCLUSION: low serum carotenoid levels, an indicator of low intake of fruits and vegetables, are independent predictors of the progression towards severe walking disability among older women living in the community.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0002-0729",
doi="10.1093/ageing/afl122",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afl122"
}