[Frailty: a phenotype under review]

Abstract

A person's biological condition in old age partly depends on previous lifestyles. Consequently, the relationship between physical activity and obesity is emerging as an important risk factor for frailty, especially due to the resulting chronic inflammatory state. This inflammation not only leads to sarcopenia, which is basic to the development of frailty, but also affects the vascular and central nervous systems. Therefore, we believe that these two systems should be included in the frailty phenotype. Under these premises, and using the data from the Toledo Study for Healthy Aging, we propose that the frailty phenotype be extended and recommend the use of a scale to evaluate the frailty trait.