title: Sex, age, season, and habitual physical activity of older Japanese: the Nakanojo study.
abstract: The interactions of sex, age, season, and habitual physical activity were examined in 41 male and 54 female Japanese age 65-83 yr, using a pedometer/accelerometer that determined step counts and amounts of physical activity (<3 and >3 metabolic equivalents [METs]) throughout each 24-hr period for an entire year. All 3 measures were greater in men than in women. In women, age was negatively correlated with step count and activity <3 METs, but in men, it was correlated with step count and activity >3 METs. Irrespective of sex or age, all 3 activity variables were low in the winter, peaking in spring or autumn. In the summer, step counts matched the annual average, but durations of activity <3 and >3 METs were, respectively, longer and shorter than in other seasons. These findings have practical implications for those promoting physical activity for older adults.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Bunka Women's University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akitomo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yasunaga
authors.forename: Fumiharu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Togo
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Hyuntae
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sungjin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Roy J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Shephard
authors.forename: Yukitoshi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoyagi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged / Q000502:physiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors