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Review
. 2020 Oct 30:2020:7543702.
doi: 10.1155/2020/7543702. eCollection 2020.

Loneliness Relates to Functional Mobility in Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: The Look AHEAD Study

Jeanne M McCaffery  1 , Andrea Anderson  2 , Mace Coday  3 , Mark A Espeland  2 , Amy A Gorin  4 , Karen C Johnson  3 , William C Knowler  5 , Candice A Myers  6 , W Jack Rejeski  7 , Helmut O Steinberg  8 , Andrew Steptoe  9 , Rena R Wing  10
Affiliations
Review

Loneliness Relates to Functional Mobility in Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: The Look AHEAD Study

Jeanne M McCaffery et al. J Aging Res. .

Abstract

Objective: Little is known about the impact of loneliness on physical health among elderly individuals with diabetes. Here, we examined the relationship of loneliness with disability, objective physical function, and other health outcomes in older individuals with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity.

Method: Data are drawn from the Look AHEAD study, a diverse cohort of individuals (ages 61-92) with overweight or obesity and type 2 diabetes measured 5-6 years after a 10-year weight loss randomized, controlled trial.

Results: Loneliness scores were significantly associated with greater disability symptoms and slower 4-meter gait speed (ps < 0.01). Loneliness did not differ across treatment arms. Discussion. Overall, these results extend prior findings relating loneliness to disability and decreased mobility to older individuals with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors report no conflicts of interest.

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