New Study Flags Early Onset Frailty Indicators in Adults Aged 40 and Above
New Delhi: Loneliness, feeling older than your age, and a negative attitude toward ageing are all associated with the early stages of frailty, even in people as young as 40, new research has revealed. While frailty is usually linked with older age, the study shows it can begin much earlier, marked by subtle psychological and social cues.
Frailty is a recognised medical condition characterised by reduced strength, lower energy levels, and diminished ability to recover from illness. Pre-frailty, the reversible transitional stage that comes before full frailty, remains ill-defined and requires more understanding, according to experts.
The research, published in the journal BMC Public Health, was led by Tom Brennan, a PhD candidate at Flinders University’s Caring Futures Institute. Brennan and his colleagues analysed data from 321 Australian adults aged 40 and over. Of them, 60 per cent were classified as pre-frail, 35 per cent as non-frail, and 5 per cent as frail.
Participants completed detailed surveys assessing frailty status alongside physical activity, chronic conditions, quality of life, loneliness, social isolation, and their perspectives on ageing.
"Many people assume frailty is something that happens when we get much older,” said Mr Brennan. “But our research shows the psychological and behavioural warning signs can emerge decades earlier, in people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. For example, feeling older than you are might sound like a throwaway comment, but it turns out it can be a sign that something’s not quite right."
"With the impact frailty has on our healthcare system, alongside our growing ageing population, it’s important we investigate ways to slow its progression," he added.
The analysis found that both pre-frail and frail individuals were more likely to report loneliness and negative attitudes toward ageing compared to non-frail participants.
"Loneliness was one of the strongest predictors of pre-frailty in our sample, highlighting that social isolation is a critical factor that can affect overall resilience, even in a relatively healthy and mobile population," said Mr Brennan.
"At the same time, people’s mindset around ageing matters; if you believe that getting older means giving up, you're more likely to experience both physical and psychological symptoms associated with frailty."
Another key finding was that pre-frail individuals commonly reported feeling older than their chronological age, even when their physical health markers were within expected ranges.
"Feeling older than you are can be a meaningful psychological signal," said Mr Brennan. "We need to emphasise the importance of fostering positive attitudes towards ageing, as this can have a huge impact on how people adjust to their later stages of life."
The researchers suggest that future frailty prevention strategies should incorporate psychosocial screening tools and offer support for maintaining social engagement and a positive self-view of ageing.
"By recognising and addressing these early warning signs, communities and healthcare providers can implement targeted interventions to help people stay healthier for longer, potentially reducing healthcare costs and improving quality of life as our population ages," Mr Brennan said.
"Ageing well isn’t just about avoiding disease, it’s about fostering resilience—physically, mentally and socially. The earlier we start, the better our chances."
Rishika Verma is a graduate from Delhi University. She joined Medical Dialogues in 2023. Her interest lies in reporting health news, hospital updates, health updates, medical case studies, and advancements in healthcare, etc.