title: Age and sex differences of risk factors of activity limitations in Japanese older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the present study was to verify how socioeconomic and physical/mental health status would be associated with activity limitations by age and sex among older adults, using nationally representative cross-sectional data in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study focused on 8373 older adults aged 65 years or older extracted from the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions conducted in 2007 by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses and population-attributable risk were applied to validate the relationships of socioeconomic and physical/mental health status with activity limitations among the total population, and by age groups (young-old or old-old) and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mental health showed the highest odds ratio and population-attributable risk in the total population. In addition, low back pain was associated with activity limitations regardless of age and sex. Other musculoskeletal diseases, such as arthropathy and osteoporosis, were related to activity limitations for women, regardless of age, whereas cardiovascular diseases, including angina pectoris/myocardial infarction and cerebral stroke, were associated with activity limitations for men in any age group. There were no statistically significant correlations between socioeconomic status and activity limitations in any groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mental health was the most important factor of activity limitations in Japanese older adults. Furthermore, low back pain regardless of age and sex, other musculoskeletal diseases only for women and cardiovascular diseases mainly for men could also be significant risk factors to activity limitations. Therefore, preventive approaches of activity limitations considering sex differences are important for older adults in Japan. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; ●●: ●●-●●.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Monma
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Nanako
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tamiya
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: activity limitations; aged; diseases; gender difference; mental health