Long-term Impact of a 10-Year Intensive Lifestyle Intervention on a Deficit Accumulation Frailty Index: Action for Health in Diabetes Trial

Background Multidomain lifestyle interventions may slow aging as captured by deficit accumulation frailty indices; however, it is unknown whether benefits extend beyond intervention delivery. Methods We developed a deficit accumulation frailty index (FI-E) to span the 10 years that the Action for Health in Diabetes (Look AHEAD) randomized controlled clinical trial delivered interventions (a multidomain lifestyle intervention focused on caloric restriction, increased physical activity, and diet compared to a control condition) and to extend across an additional 8 years post-delivery. The study cohort included 5 145 individuals, aged 45-76 years at enrollment, who had type 2 diabetes and either obesity or overweight. Results Overall, FI-E scores were relatively lower among lifestyle participants throughout follow-up, averaging 0.0130 [95% confidence interval: 0.0104, 0.0156] (p < .001) less across the 18 years. During Years 1-8, the mean relative difference between control and lifestyle participants' FI-E scores was 0.0139 [0.0115, 0.0163], approximately 10% of the baseline level. During Years 9-18, this average difference was 0.0107 [0.0066, 0.0148]. Benefits were comparable for individuals grouped by baseline age and body mass index and sex but were not evident for those entering the trial with a history of cardiovascular disease. Conclusions Multidomain lifestyle intervention may slow biological aging long term, as captured by an FI-E.

Automated summary

Multidomain lifestyle interventions may slow down aging and reduce the accumulation of deficits. This study found that a multidomain lifestyle intervention focused on caloric restriction, increased physical activity, and diet can continue to provide benefits for 8 years after the intervention ends, reducing the rate of aging.