Does the incidence of frailty differ between men and women over time?

•Despite some similarities, different risk factors are found between the sexes over time.•Sociodemographic, behavioural and sensory characteristics seem to sustain the frailty in older adults independently of sex.•Chronic diseases and low-grade inflammation also seem to sustain the frailty in older adults independently of sex.•Socioeconomic factors, musculoskeletal disorders, heart disease and low weight seem to sustain the frailty process in men.•Cardiovascular and neuroendocrine disorders seem to sustain the frailty process in women. The mechanisms, risk factors and influence of sex on the incidence of frailty components are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to analyse sex differences in factors associated with the increase in the number of frailty components. A 12-year follow-up analysis was conducted with 1,747 participants aged ≥ 60 of the ELSA Study with no frailty at baseline. Generalised linear mixed models were used to analyse the increase in the number of frailty components stratified by sex, considering socioeconomic, behavioural, clinical and biochemical characteristics as exposure variables. The increase in the number of frailty components in both sexes was associated with an advanced age (70 to 79 years and 80 years or older), low educational level, sedentary lifestyle, elevated depressive symptoms, joint disease, high C-reactive protein levels, perception of poor vision and uncontrolled diabetes (p