scholarly journals The Associations between Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Physical Function in Community-Dwelling Older Japanese Men and Women

Author(s):  
Harukaze Yatsugi ◽  
Tao Chen ◽  
Si Chen ◽  
Xin Liu ◽  
Hiro Kishimoto

Objective: The relationships between physical activity (PA) and physical function (PF) among older Japanese adults have been examined before, with some studies reporting that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is positively associated with PF. However, it is unclear whether the observed associations differ between men and women. In this study, we investigated the associations of objectively measured MVPA, light physical activity (LPA), and sedentary time (ST) with different PF levels in older Japanese men and women. Subjects and Methods: A total of 810 community-dwelling subjects aged 65–75 years were investigated (52.1% women, 47.9% men). The PF variables included grip strength, one-leg standing, usual and maximum walking speeds, and chair-standing time. PA (MVPA, LPA, and ST) and the number of steps taken daily were assessed for seven consecutive days by a tri-axial accelerometer. We determined the sex-specific quartiles of MVPA, LPA, and ST and analyzed their associations with physical function in separate models for each exposure measure. Results: In the crude analysis, MVPA was significantly associated with all PF variables in the men, and with the usual walking speed, max. walking speed, and chair-standing time in the women. Neither LPA nor ST was significantly associated with any PF variables. After adjusting potential confounding factors, significant associations between MVPA and usual walking speed remained in the men and women. Conclusions: Only greater moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was significantly associated with higher levels of PF variables in both men and women. Thus, time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) can help older adults maintain or improve their physical function.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuya Ataka ◽  
Noriyuki Kimura ◽  
Atsuko Eguchi ◽  
Etsuro Matsubara

Abstract Background: In this manuscript, we aimed at investigating whether objectively measured lifestyle factors, including walking steps, sedentary time, amount of unforced physical activity, level of slight and energetic physical activity, conversation time, and sleep parameters altered before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among community-dwelling older adults.Methods: Data were obtained from a prospective cohort study conducted from 2015 to 2019 and a subsequent dementia prevention study undertaken in September 2020. Community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years wore wearable sensors before and during the pandemic.Results: A total of 56 adults were enrolled in this study. The mean age was 74.2±3.9 years, and 58.9% (n=33) of the participants were female. The moderate and vigorous physical activity time significantly decreased and sedentary time significantly increased during the pandemic. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate differences in objectively assessed lifestyle factors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among community-dwelling older adults. The findings show that the pandemic has adversely affected physical activity among older adults living on their own in Japan.


Author(s):  
Masashi Kanai ◽  
Kazuhiro P. Izawa ◽  
Hiroki Kubo ◽  
Masafumi Nozoe ◽  
Kyoshi Mase ◽  
...  

There is little evidence on how perceptions of the built environment may influence physical activity among post-stroke patients. This study aimed to explore the associations between perceived built environment attributes and objectively measured physical activity outcomes in community-dwelling ambulatory patients with stroke. This cross-sectional study recruited patients who could walk outside without assistance. We assessed both objectively measured physical activity outcomes such as number of steps and duration of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with an accelerometer and the patients’ perceived surrounding built environment with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Environmental Module. Sixty-one patients (67.0 years old) were included. The multiple linear regression analysis showed significant associations of the presence of sidewalks (β = 0.274, p = 0.016) and access to recreational facilities (β = 0.284, p = 0.010) with the number of steps taken (adjusted R2 = 0.33). In contrast, no significant associations were found between perceived built environment attributes and MVPA. These findings may help to suggest an approach to promote appropriate physical activity in patients with stroke depending on their surrounding built environment.


1998 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timo Suutama ◽  
Isto Ruoppila

Two follow-up studies were designed to analyze die cross-seciional and longitudinal associations between cognitive functioning and physical activity among two cohorts of elderly people. At baseline, over 90% of the 75- and 80-year-old populations were interviewed at home and almost 80% participated in the laboratory examinations. Cognitive functioning was assessed by psychometric tests and reaction time tasks, and physical activity was assessed by a subjective self-assessment as well as by objectively measured maximal walking speed. Among both cohorts, the decline over the 5-year period in cognitive functioning as well as in physical activity was generally small but statistically significant. The test-retest correlations were higher for the cognitive functioning scores than for the physical activity variables. The associations between cognitive functioning and physical activity were inconsistent and showed some differences between men and women.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-39
Author(s):  
Si Chen ◽  
Tao Chen ◽  
Shuzo Kumagai ◽  
Hyuntae Park

PURPOSE: This review aimed to evaluate the relationship between objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior and frailty in community-dwelling older adults.METHODS: An electronic search was undertaken using the MEDLINE® databases from January 1st 2010 to December 31st 2019. Titles, abstracts, and full texts of the studies identified by the search were scrutinized by the author to determine eligibility for an inclusion in this review.RESULTS: The search identified 87 relevant articles resulted, of which eight studies from four cohorts met the inclusion requirements. Almost all the studies reported a significantly negative association between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and frailty, while only one was a longitudinal study. Significant associations between sedentary time (ST) and higher severity of frailty were observed, however, the findings of associations of sedentary bouts were mixed.IMPLICATION: Higher amounts of ST and lower amounts of MVPA were associated with a higher prevalence of frailty or worse frailty levels. Replacing ST with MVPA may offset the detrimental consequences of ST on frailty. More longitudinal studies and quantitative researches are needed to investigate the association of MVPA and ST bouts with frailty.


Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 137 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeshi Shibukawa ◽  
Akira Fujiyoshi ◽  
Katsuyuki Miura ◽  
Naoko Miyagawa ◽  
Yoshino Saito ◽  
...  

Introduction: A positive association between physical activity and cognition has been reported. However, very few pertinent studies have evaluated physical activity by objective measures. Hypothesis: In a community-based sample of non-demented men, objectively measured step count was positively associated with higher cognitive function. Methods: The Shiga Epidemiological Study of Subclinical Atherosclerosis (SESSA) randomly recruited community-dwelling apparently healthy men aged 40-79 years from Shiga, Japan, and measured their step counts over 7 consecutive days using a pedometer (DIGI-Walker, DW-200) at baseline (2006-08). Among 853 mem who returned for follow-up (2010-12), we assessed their cognition using Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) score. The score can range from 0 to 100, and higher score indicates better cognition. We restricted our analyses to those with a valid 7-day average step count at baseline and who remained free of stroke (N=678). We calculated crude and adjusted mean CASI score according to quartile of average step count using linear regression models. All adjusting covariates used in models were asssessed at baseline including age, educational attainment, smoking, and drinking. Results: The mean [standard deviation] of age and unadjusted score were 63.8 [9.1] years and 90.8 [5.8]. Mean CASI score was higher in higher quartile of average step: 90.2, 90.4, 90.6, and 91.8 from the lowest to the highest quartile of average step ( P for trend =0.004) in a model adjusted for age and education. Further adjustment for smoking, drinking and other cardiovascular risk factors resulted in similar pattern of association (Table 1). Conclusions: Apparently healthy Japanese men with greater 7-day average step count at baseline measured with pedometer was associated with a small but significantly higher CASI score than those with fewer step count. The finding is consistent with the hypothesis that physical activity is protective for cognition in non-demented individuals.


2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (9) ◽  
pp. e111-e118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Karavirta ◽  
Timo Rantalainen ◽  
Heidi Skantz ◽  
Inna Lisko ◽  
Erja Portegijs ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Walking forms a large portion of physical activity (PA) of older adults. We assessed free-living PA using acceleration corresponding to preferred walking speed as a relative cut-point and studied how it relates to age. We compared the relative cut-point to a common absolute cut-point of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Method Four hundred forty-four community-dwelling adults aged 75, 80, and 85 years wore an accelerometer on the thigh during a PA surveillance period and a modified 6-minute walking test (6MWT) at preferred speed. Each individual’s mean acceleration (g) during the 6MWT was used as a cut-point for relative PA. Acceleration corresponding to three metabolic equivalents (METs) was used as the cut-point for absolute MVPA. Results When using the acceleration of preferred walking speed as a cut-point, 62 (SD 82) minutes a week of relative PA was detected, compared to 228 (163) minutes of absolute MVPA. For 96% of the participants, the acceleration generated by their preferred walking speed exceeded the common absolute cut-point for MVPA. Absolute MVPA was lower in the older age groups, and 6MWT speed explained 22% of its variation (p < .001), whereas relative PA was independent of walking speed and age. Conclusions Preferred walking speed was a significant contributor to absolute MVPA and those who walked the slowest accumulated the least MVPA. Assessing relative PA using the intensity of preferred walking speed as a cut-point eliminated the dependency of PA on age and walking speed, and may be a feasible scaling option to evaluate relative PA among older people.


2020 ◽  

Background and objective: Managing the decrease in physical function in the elderly is a major task in aging societies globally. Here, we aimed to compare the physical function and metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors according to levels of physical activity (PA). Material and methods: We measured PA in 77 elderly Korean men (74.21 ± 6.26 years old) with an accelerometer and recorded body composition, physical function, and MetS-related risk factors. Participants were divided into three groups based on daily moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA): low (under 60 min), middle (60-120 min), and high (over 120 min). The groups were compared using a one-way analysis of variance and the Scheffe post hoc test. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated by logistic regression analysis. Results: Significant differences were found between the groups for sedentary behavior time (P < 0.001), light PA (P < 0.05), moderate PA (P < 0.001), vigorous PA (P < 0.05), and total energy expenditure (P < 0.001). The high PA group showed a significantly lower percentage of body fat and fat mass and higher muscle mass than did the low and middle PA groups (P < 0.05). The 6-min walk test was significantly better in the high PA group than in the low and middle PA groups (P < 0.05). Grip strength and the Berg balance scale were also significantly better in the high PA group (P < 0.05). Bone mineral density (BMD) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were significantly higher in the high PA group than in the low PA group (P < 0.05). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was significantly higher in the middle PA group than in the low PA group (P < 0.05). Participants with more than three MetS criteria showed an OR of 0.09 (95% confidence interval 0.01-0.82) in the high PA group as compared with the low PA group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Moderate-vigorous physical activity of more than 120 min daily showed better physical function and lower OR of MetS than did lower MVPA levels in elderly Korean men.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 194-195
Author(s):  
Kaiyuan Hua ◽  
Sheng Luo ◽  
Katherine Hall ◽  
Miriam Morey ◽  
Harvey Cohen

Abstract Background. Functional decline in conjunction with low levels of physical activity has implications for health risks in older adults. Previous studies have examined the associations between accelerometry-derived activity and physical function, but most of these studies reduced these data into average means of total daily physical activity (e.g., daily step counts). A new method of analysis “functional data analysis” provides more in-depth capability using minute-level accelerometer data. Methods. A secondary analysis of community-dwelling adults ages 30 to 90+ residing in southwest region of North Carolina from the Physical Performance across the Lifespan (PALS) study. PALS assessments were completed in-person at baseline and one-week of accelerometry. Final analysis includes 669 observations at baseline with minute-level accelerometer data from 7:00 to 23:00, after removing non-wear time. A novel scalar-on-function regression analysis was used to explore the associations between baseline physical activity features (minute-by-minute vector magnitude generated from accelerometer) and baseline physical function (gait speed, single leg stance, chair stands, and 6-minute walk test) with control for baseline age, sex, race and body mass index. Results. The functional regressions were significant for specific times of day indicating increased physical activity associated with increased physical function around 8:00, 9:30 and 15:30-17:00 for rapid gait speed; 9:00-10:30 and 15:00-16:30 for normal gait speed; 9:00-10:30 for single leg stance; 9:30-11:30 and 15:00-18:00 for chair stands; 9:00-11:30 and 15:00-18:30 for 6-minute walk. Conclusion. This method of functional data analysis provides news insights into the relationship between minute-by-minute daily activity and health.


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