The Association Between Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors and Polypharmacy in Older Adults: The Loma Linda Longevity Study

Abstract

Introduction : Polypharmacy—defined as taking numerous medications that may not be clinically necessary—is becoming a significant concern among the older adult population. This study examined the associations between lifestyle behaviors and the number of prescribed medications in older adults (75 years and older) living in the counties of San Bernardino and Riverside. Methods : This study employed a cross-sectional survey to assess lifestyle behaviors and medication use in 611 older adults aged 75 or over. Bivariate correlation and linear regression analyses were used to assess potential relationships between lifestyle behaviors and the number of prescribed medications. Results : Fruit consumption (P = 0.005), mild physical activity per week (P