title: Health Benefits of Daily Walking on Mortality Among Younger-Elderly Men With or Without Major Critical Diseases in the New Integrated Suburban Seniority Investigation Project: A Prospective Cohort Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regular physical activity contributes to the prevention of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases. However, the frequency of physical activity often declines with age, particularly among the elderly. Thus, we investigated the effects of daily walking on mortality among younger-elderly men (65-74 years) with or without major critical diseases (heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, or cancer).
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed 1239 community-dwelling men aged 64/65 years from the New Integrated Suburban Seniority Investigation Project. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) of all-cause mortality and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) according to daily walking duration and adjusted for potential confounders, including survey year, marital status, work status, education, smoking and drinking status, BMI, regular exercise, regular sports, sleeping time, medical status, disease history, and functional capacity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For men without critical diseases, mortality risk declined linearly with increased walking time after adjustment for confounders (Ptrend = 0.018). Walking ≥2 hours/day was significantly associated with lower all-cause mortality (HR 0.49; 95% CI, 0.27-0.90). For men with critical diseases, walking 1-2 hours/day showed a protective effect on mortality compared with walking <0.5 hours/day after adjustment for confounders (HR 0.29; 95% CI, 0.06-1.20). Walking ≥2 hours/day showed no benefit on mortality in men with critical diseases, even after adjustment for confounders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different duration of daily walking was associated with decreased mortality for younger-elderly men with or without critical diseases, independent of sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, BMI, medical status, disease history, and functional capacity. Incorporating regular walking into daily lives of younger-elderly men may improve longevity and successful aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Wenjing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Shigekazu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ukawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wakai
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Kazuyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsushita
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamakoshi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*