Higher Lead and Lower Calcium Levels Are Associated with Increased Risk of Mortality in Malaysian Older Population: Findings from the LRGS-TUA Longitudinal Study

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to determine the association of various trace elements’ status with the 5-year mortality rate among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia. This study was part of the Long-term Research Grant Scheme—Towards Useful Ageing (LRGS-TUA). The participants were followed up for five years, and their mortality status was identified through the Mortality Data Matching Service provided by the National Registration Department, Malaysia. Of the 303 participants included in this study, 34 (11.2%) participants had died within five years after baseline data collection. As compared to the survivors, participants who died earlier were more likely (p < 0.05) to be men, smokers, have a lower intake of total dietary fiber and molybdenum, higher intake of manganese, lower zinc levels in toenail samples, lower calcium and higher lead levels in hair samples during baseline. Following the multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, lower total dietary fiber intake (HR: 0.681; 0.532–0.871), lower calcium (HR: 0.999; 95% CI: 0.999–1.000) and higher lead (HR: 1.309; 95% CI: 1.061–1.616) levels in hair samples appeared as the predictors of mortality. In conclusion, higher lead and lower calcium levels are associated with higher risk of mortality among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia. Our current findings provide a better understanding of how the trace elements’ status may affect older populations’ well-being and mortality rate.

Ethnic Differences in Bone Health Status and Its Association With Calcium Intake, Physical Activity and Body Mass Index Among Malaysian Older Adults From Bangi and Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

“…However, all groups did not meet the Malaysian RNI for calcium, which is 1000 mg/day and 1200 mg/day for men and women, respectively, and an additional 200 mg/day for postmenopausal women (NCCFN, 2017). The low consumption of calcium among Malaysian older adults has been reported elsewhere (Nik Nur Izzati et al, 2016;Shahar et al, 2019;Zamzuri et al, 2019;Ooi et al, 2022). The barriers of optimising milk or dairy consumption among Malaysian older adults per se have not been reported.…”

“…However, after 20 years of the study has been performed, the calcium intake among Malaysian older adults is still unable to reach even half of the recommendation although recent studies did show an increase consumption of calcium. Zamzuri et al (2019) reported that the older adults took 421.7 ± 344.3 mg/day of calcium whilst Ooi et al (2022) showed an intake of 530.1 ± 254.28 mg/day. Moreover, there is not much known about calcium intake between 3 major ethnics of Malaysian older adults.…”

The Effects of 12 Weeks Colostrum Milk Supplementation on the Expression Levels of Pro-Inflammatory Mediators and Metabolic Changes among Older Adults: Findings from the Biomarkers and Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis

“…Participants were instructed to fast for at least 8 h prior to blood collection. Following centrifugation, plasma samples were separated from the blood and stored in a −80 °C freezer until further analysis [ 18 , 19 ].…”