SUMMARY

Objectives:

The aim of the study was to understand determinants of ageing in relation to future cardiovascular disease (CVD) events at population
level, and to explore determinants of healthy ageing and its relation to 10-year CVD incidence among apparently healthy individuals.

Methods:

In the context of the ATTICA study 453 apparently healthy men (45 ± 13 years) and 400 women (44 ± 18 years) with complete
psychological evaluation were studied and followed during 2002–2012. Healthy Ageing Index (HAI) (range 0–7) was calculated based on socioeconomical,
bio-clinical, psychological, and lifestyle characteristics (i.e. dietary habits and physical activity) of the participants during the baseline
examination. CVD incidence during the follow-up period was defined according to ICD-10 criteria.

Results:

Healthy Ageing Index was inversely associated with higher 10-year CVD risk (OR per 1/7 (95% CI): 0.47 (0.28, 0.80). Age and sexadjusted
determinants of healthy ageing were abnormal waist to hip ratio (p < 0.001), increased coffee consumption (p = 0.04), reduced basic
metabolic rhythm (p < 0.001), increased triglycerides (p = 0.003), and C-reactive protein levels (p = 0.02), as aggravating factors, while moderate
alcohol consumption (p = 0.002) was identified as a positive influential parameter.

Conclusions:

Understanding healthy ageing, as a dominant factor of CVD development, provides a new direction for better prevention efforts
focused on healthy ageing at both population and individual level.