A 6-year cohort study on relationship between functional fitness and impairment of ADL in community-dwelling older persons.
We measured functional fitness in older subjects and performed a follow-up survey for 6 years to clarify whether the level of functional fitness at a given point contributes to prediction of the subsequent occurrence of impairment of functions necessary for independent living. The longitudinal data were obtained for 391 persons aged 60 years or over, who were independently living in the community. Four items of functional fitness, i.e. the ability to perform standing/sitting movements, ability to perform traveling movements, ability to perform housekeeping movements, and ability to perform personal grooming activities, were assessed. The relationship between functional fitness and the risk of the occurrence of impairment of independence in daily living was evaluated using a binomial logistic regression model. In males, all the 4 items of functional fitness were significantly related to the risk of impairment of activities of daily living (ADL). In females, however, none of the items was significantly related to the risk of ADL impairment. In conclusion, functional fitness appears to be valid as a predictive parameter of future occurrence of ADL impairment in relatively healthy and independent elderly males. However, its validity in elderly females needs further evaluation.
Physical Fitness Research Institute, Meiji Life Foundation of Health and Welfare, Hachloji, Tokyo, Japan.
Toshiya
T
Nagamatsu
Yukio
Y
Oida
Yoshinori
Y
Kitabatake
Hiroshi
H
Kohno
Ken'ichi
K
Egawa
Naomi
N
Nezu
Takashi
T
Arao
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution