title: Reference values and age and sex differences in physical performance measures for community-dwelling older Japanese: a pooled analysis of six cohort studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine age- and sex-specific reference values for six physical performance measures, i.e. hand-grip strength, one-legged stance, and gait speed and step length at both usual and maximum paces, and to investigate age and sex differences in these measures among community-dwelling older Japanese adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a pooled analysis of data from six cohort studies collected between 2002 and 2011 as part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology-Longitudinal Interdisciplinary Study on Aging. The pooled analysis included cross-sectional data from 4683 nondisabled, community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older (2168 men, 2515 women; mean age: 74.0 years in men and 73.9 years in women).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unweighted simple mean (standard deviation) hand-grip strength, one-legged stance, usual gait speed, usual gait step length, maximum gait speed, and maximum gait step length were 31.7 (6.7) kg, 39.3 (23.0) s, 1.29 (0.25) m/s, 67.7 (10.0) cm, 1.94 (0.38) m/s, and 82.3 (11.6) cm, respectively, in men and 20.4 (5.0) kg, 36.8 (23.4) s, 1.25 (0.27) m/s, 60.8 (10.0) cm, 1.73 (0.36) m/s, and 69.7 (10.8) cm, respectively, in women. All physical performance measures showed significant decreasing trends with advancing age in both sexes (all P<0.001 for trend). We also constructed age- and sex-specific appraisal standards according to quintiles. With increasing age, the sex difference in hand-grip strength decreased significantly (P<0.001 for age and sex interaction). In contrast, sex differences significantly increased in all other measures (all P<0.05 for interactions) except step length at maximum pace.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our pooled analysis yielded inclusive age- and sex-specific reference values and appraisal standards for major physical performance measures in nondisabled, community-dwelling, older Japanese adults. The characteristics of age-related decline in physical performance measures differed between sexes.
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan; The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 8 Ichiban, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seino
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shinkai
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Obuchi
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideyo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirohiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hun Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishizaki
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryutaro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012727:Sex Characteristics