Lifecourse epidemiology investigates biological, behavioural and social pathways linking physical and social exposures throughout the lifecourse and across generations, to changes in health and disease in later life. It is a highly interdisciplinary perspective and this timely edited collection brings together work from a range of disciplines, drawing on a number of British cohort studies which form the HALCyon cohorts covering 30,000 individuals born in the United Kingdom (UK) between 1918 and 1958, and aged 50 years or older at the start of the programme in 2008 (see http://www.halcyon.ac.uk/). This book aims to shift the focus from a preoccupation, particularly in the UK, with specific chronic diseases in later life, and instead concentrates on healthy ageing. In order to do so, research which encompasses social, psychological and biological approaches is required. This approach is encapsulated in the ‘integrated lifecourse approach to ageing’ model which the authors introduce in the first chapter and which underpins their interdisciplinary approach towards advancing knowledge that will lead to an increase in the proportion of healthy, active and independent older people. Whilst acknowledging that there has been little consensus in how to measure healthy ageing, this collection, to a large extent, demonstrates what can be done with existing cohorts and the possibilities for the future, although objectively capturing such a complex phenomenon presents huge challenges.
The book is divided into four sections. The four chapters of Part I provide a thorough account of the lifecourse perspective on healthy ageing, covering conceptual aspects, physical and cognitive capability, as well as psychological and social wellbeing. Part II covers the methods for studying ageing from a lifecourse and interdisciplinary perspective, with five chapters detailing study design, data collection and analysis. The three chapters on various methods of statistical analysis are extremely well presented, illustrating how different techniques may be applied to longitudinal data. The chapter by Carpentieri and Elliot on the value of narratives and individual biographies beautifully demonstrates how qualitative data can provide insights not available through quantitative analysis alone, as well as how both methods can be combined to shed more light on healthy ageing. Part III comprises six chapters on healthy ageing in body systems, organs and cells, covering neuroendocrine systems, vascular and metabolic function, musculoskeletal ageing, biomarkers, and genetic and epigenetic aspects of healthy ageing. The fourth part of the collection has three chapters which focus on ‘The way we live’, covering diet, physical activity and area of residence. The final chapter by Kuh, Cooper, Hardy, Goodwin, Richards and Ben-Shlomo focuses on how lifecourse research can ‘offer pointers about where and when to intervene to optimize function and wellbeing in older people’ (p. 261), and provides a highly readable account of the challenges in knowledge translation and research on ageing. Relevant to all ageing researchers is the question of bridging the gap between ‘what is known’ and ‘what is done’ (p. 261), and it is refreshing to see this addressed in an academic book.
In addition to the challenges posed by the authors on capturing healthy ageing, the huge social inequalities such as, for example, a 17-year difference in disability-free life expectancy between people living in poor versus rich areas of England (Marmot Reference Marmot2010), are a feature throughout the book. The authors also include reference to gender inequalities, but due to the nature of the cohorts, there is currently less scope for exploring ethnic inequalities, a matter which should be addressed in future work.
Whilst many of the topic areas covered may be challenging for a social gerontology audience, the book is well written and accessible for a non-scientific audience. Although the overall balance of topics leans more towards biological processes, there is something for everyone in this book, whether one's inclination is qualitative or quantitative, biological, psychological or social. As such, I would recommend it to students and researchers of ageing.
Fittingly, the authors acknowledge the dedication and commitment of the participants recruited into lifecourse studies. As researchers in gerontology, we owe them a great deal. This book is a demonstration of the important knowledge that can be gained from longitudinal work, best expressed by one of the cohort members: ‘I hope and know some good will have come from being a member of a band of people born in March 1946’ (p. 66).
