The associations of adiposity, physical activity and inflammation with fatigue in older adults

Persistent feelings of fatigue are a widespread complaint reported by older adults, and are associated with detriments in health and quality of life. Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the influence of weight status, physical activity and inflammation on perceptions of fatigue in relatively healthy older adults. Methods Older men and women (N = 182, 98 men; age = 69.2±6.7 years) were assessed for adiposity (body mass index (BMI) and percent fat via dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry, physical activity (PA) using accelerometers, systemic inflammation via serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), and fatigue according to the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI). Results Men and women reported similar levels of fatigue in most dimensions (p > 0.05), however women reported higher levels of mental fatigue (p = 0.049). Adiposity was positively correlated with fatigue (r range = 0.20 to 0.42), whereas PA was inversely associated with fatigue (r range = 0.18 to 0.37), both of which were not related to mental fatigue. CRP and IL‐6 were also related to several dimensions of fatigue (r range = 0.15 to 0.26). Conclusions Adiposity and inflammation are positively related to several domains of fatigue, whereas PA is inversely associated with these same dimensions of fatigue. This research has identified adiposity, inflammation, and PA as potential targets for reducing fatigue in older adults.