Journal of Aging and Physical Activity最新文献

Background/objectives: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) has been positively associated with brain volumes and health in older adults and negatively associated with dementia and dementia mortality. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a gold-standard test for evaluating CRF and for exercise prescription but requires specialized equipment and is time- and resource-intensive. More feasible and valid options for evaluation of CRF are needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity and relationship of shuttle walk test (SWT) distance with peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) from cycle ergometer-based CPET in persons with amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Methods: This study is a cross-sectional analysis of the baseline data (n = 80) who completed both CPET and SWT from the ACT (aerobic exercise and cognitive training) Trial. Data were analyzed with simple and multiple linear regression.

Results: The study sample was 74.1 (5.7) years old, had 45.0% female representation, and scored 23.2 (2.0) on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. SWT was positively correlated with VO2peak (r = .57, p < .01). When controlling for age, sex, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and body mass index, SWT distance remained significantly and positively associated with VO2peak, and explained 6% of the variance in VO2peak (Cohen's ƒ2 = 0.06).

Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate the relationship of SWT distance and CPET VO2peak in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and shows that SWT distance significantly predicts VO2peak. Significance/Implications: Preliminary evidence supports the use of the SWT as a valid assessment of CRF in persons with amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Background/objectives: Physical activity is a countermeasure against sarcopenia, but its significance on handgrip strength, a key health outcome, is unclear. We examined the association between physical activity in rural life and handgrip strength, specifically farming activity and snow removal.

Methods: Participants aged ≥40 years from a population-based cohort study (2012-2015, median follow-up: 8.6 years, N = 4,774, mean age 64.5 years) were analyzed. Exposures were farming activity (May to November) and snow removal (December to April) and the outcome was low grip strength. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of low grip strength for each physical activity.

Results: Farming activity was inversely associated with low grip strength (AOR: 0.63; 95% CI [0.50, 0.78]), and snow removal (AOR: 0.52; 95% CI [0.40, 0.69]). Compared with participants who engaged in neither activity, those who engaged in either one or both had lower odds ratios of low grip strength (AOR: 0.50; 95% CI [0.36, 0.69] for one, AOR: 0.37; 95% CI [0.27, 0.51] for both; p for trend = .001).

Conclusions: This study found an inverse association between physical activity in rural life and low grip strength in middle-aged and older adults. The findings highlight the significance of physical activity related to environmental features in preventing reduced muscle strength in rural communities. Significance/Implications: Physical activity in rural life, such as farming and snow removal, may effectively support muscle strength maintenance and reduce sarcopenia risk in community-dwelling adults.

Background/objectives: A decrease in muscle strength is associated with adverse health consequences. We aimed to evaluate the changes in muscle strength and in the occurrence of dynapenia over 6 years and identify potential factors associated with the changes.

Methods: Cohort study of older adults aged ≥60 years, not institutionalized, and living in an urban area of the city of Pelotas, Southern Brazil. Muscle strength was assessed in 2014 (baseline) and reassessed from 2019 to 2020 with digital dynamometers. Associations between the changes in muscle strength and dynapenia over time, and socioeconomic, demographic, behavioral, and health variables were assessed using adjusted mixed linear and logistic models.

Results: Four hundred and eighty-three older adults completed the examinations during both visits. The adjusted analysis showed that, in men, muscle strength decreased from 38.2 to 35.9 kg; while in women, it decreased from 23.5 to 22.1 kg in 2014 and 2019-2020, respectively. Older age, black or brown skin color, middle socioeconomic level, and having <8 years of schooling were associated with a greater decrease in muscle strength. The prevalence of dynapenia increased from 17.8% in 2014 to 24.0% in 2019 to 2020 in men and from 11.3% to 17.5% in women. Changes in dynapenia did not differ between subgroups of the independent variables.

Conclusion: Muscle strength decline and increased dynapenia prevalence have been observed in older adults over the years. Socioeconomic factors were the most strongly associated with the observed changes. Significance/Implications: The reduction in muscle strength highlights the importance of physical assessments for early diagnosis.

Background/objectives: Masters Games are multisport events that provide older athletes with an opportunity to participate in organized physical activity, with well-documented physical and psychosocial health benefits. However, little is known about injury epidemiology in Masters Games competitors. The aim of this study was to determine the current knowledge about the incidence and type of injuries sustained by older athletes during Masters Games events.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews Checklist. Seven electronic databases were searched, and 1,797 records were retrieved and screened for eligibility using the Population (older athletes), Concept (sustained an injury), and Context (during Masters Games events) framework.

Results: Six studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were identified for analysis. All included studies used different injury surveillance systems. Five studies reported a total of 2,384 injuries occurring in 34,129 participants, representing an overall injury incidence of 6.9% of participants. Three studies reported injury incidence ranging from 2.5% to 48.2% of participants. Four studies reported injury location and types; however, all used different injury categorization systems.

Conclusions: This review identified there is a paucity of injury epidemiological studies of Masters Games participants. Methodological heterogeneity and variable injury reporting methods currently precludes meaningful comparisons about injury incidence or types in older athletes participating in Masters Games events. Significance/Implications: Future well conducted injury surveillance studies at Masters Games could guide the management of medical services for these events and inform the development of age and sports-specific injury prevention programs.

Blood flow restriction (BFR) and virtual reality-based therapy (VRT) are widely used interventions. However, no studies have investigated the combined effects of these therapies on autonomic, hemodynamic, and perceptual outcomes in older women. Therefore, the purpose was to evaluate the autonomic and hemodynamic behavior following VRT-BRF in older women, and to identify the perceptual responses during and after exercise recovery. A randomized crossover clinical trial was conducted with 17 older women randomly divided into three groups with a washout period of 7 days between sessions: VRT-BFR (40%), only VRT, and control. VRT was performed using the Nintendo Wii video game. For all groups, hemodynamic parameters (heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure, double product) and the RR intervals were collected. Subsequently, the randomized intervention was performed and, for the VRT-BFR and VRT groups, autonomic parameters, signs and symptoms, and perceived effort were monitored during the games. Immediately after the interventions, a recovery period was initiated during outcomes were collected again for 60 min. In the recovery period for the VRT-BFR group, RR intervals showed a significant decrease from baseline until the 30th minute of recovery, heart rate showed a significant increase between baseline and the first and third minutes, and the double product showed a significant increase between baseline and the first minute. However, there was no statistical difference between groups, as well as group-time interaction. In conclusion, the VRT-BFR did not cause autonomic, hemodynamic, and perceptual imbalance in postexercise recovery.

Objectives: Given that body composition assessment is becoming more common, demonstrating the significance of assessing muscle mass asymmetry, which has not been a focus in the past, would be important. This study examined the association between the leg skeletal muscle mass asymmetry index (LSMAI) and the timed up-and-go (TUG) test to assesses dynamic postural control capabilities, in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study. The study had 122 (75 ± 6 years, 74% female) participants who fulfilled the required sample size. A generalized linear model was used to examine the association between the TUG and the LSMAI.

Results: An association was found between the TUG and LSMAI (standard regression coefficient, 0.21, p = .022). As with the crude model, a significant association was found between TUG and LSMAI in the adjusted model (standardized coefficient = 0.31, p = .009).

Conclusions: Assessing LSMAI in older adults is crucial. Moreover, this finding indicates the need to consider LSMAI in maintaining the dynamic posture control capabilities of older adults.

Implications: The new finding that LSMAI in older adults is associated with TUG emphasizes the need for assessment and intervention of LSMAI. This suggests that the approach to LSMAI may contribute to maintaining and improving dynamic posture control ability.

Objective: This study examined the engagement patterns of older Chinese adults and their association with depression, including potential mediating roles of social support and aging attitudes, and how they are influenced by urban and rural factors.

Methods: We use latent class analysis to categorized social engagement patterns using national survey data from 5,582 Chinese adults aged over 60. The effect of moderation and mediation was tested by the PROCESS macro (Model 4 and Model 8) for SPSS 27.0 by Hayes, using 5,000 bootstrap samples.

Results: Three social engagement patterns were identified: Low Engagement, Social Engagement, and Family-Social Engagement. Mediation analyses revealed that Social Engagement indirectly reduced depression by enhancing positive aging attitudes, though it was linked to lower social support, which did not impact depression. Family-Social Engagement showed no significant effect on depression. Low Engagement indirectly reduced depression through positive aging attitudes but directly increased depression. Moderated mediation analysis indicated aging attitudes consistently mediated these effects, with urban factors strengthening the positive impact of Social Engagement on aging attitudes, while rural areas showed a negative association. No significant urban-rural differences were found for Low Engagement.

Conclusion: Aging attitudes mediate the impact of Social Engagement on depression; urban-rural factors moderate this effect. Future studies need to measure social support comprehensively and explore the mechanism of Family Social Engagement and depression.

Implications: Tailor interventions for urban and rural areas. Promote positive aging attitudes and enhance community support structures.

Background/objectives: Aging decreases cognitive and physical fitness (PF). Though evidence links PF to cognitive function, few studies focus on this association in older adults with dementia. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between cognitive function and PF in institutionalized older adults with cognitive impairment.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study encompassing 75 older adults with suggestive major neurocognitive disorder (76% women, 78.00 ± 8.13 years) residing in nursing homes. Cognition was assessed with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the eligible participants (MoCA < 17 points) were categorized as having high or low cognition function according to the 50th percentile of the MoCA score. PF was measured with the Senior Fitness Test, and a global physical fitness score (GPF), computed as the average obtained from the six tests of the Senior Fitness Test, was thereafter classified based on the 25th percentile. Linear regression and binary logistic regression were applied.

Results: GPF was significantly associated with MoCA (B = 0.078; 95% confidence interval [0.016, 0.139]; R2 = .300). GPF > 25th percentile (odds ratio = 7.8; 95% confidence interval [2.1, 30.4]; p = .003) and years of education (odds ratio = 1.5; 95% confidence interval [1.0, 2.1]; p = .016) were associated with a higher likelihood of having high MoCA, independently of age, medication use, and clinical conditions.

Conclusion: A higher GPF was associated with better cognitive function in institutionalized older adults with dementia. Significance/Implications: It is crucial to understand the relationships between cognitive decline and PF in older adults with dementia. Once both are correlated, we might suggest that improving fitness may help slow cognitive decline and vice versa, which must be ascertained through longitudinal and experimental studies.

Background: Physical activity levels often remain suboptimal in older adults undergoing total hip replacement or total knee replacement after surgery, which can affect functional independence and quality of life.

Purpose: To explore the feasibility and potential effects of a telerehabilitation delivery mode that combines activity tracking with remote physical therapist counseling on physical activity levels in older adults post total hip replacement or total knee replacement.

Methods: The participants were randomly allocated to receive either a 12-week telerehabilitation program involving brief weekly telephone counseling from a physical therapist (n = 19) or a control group (n = 18). Activity trackers (Fitbit Sense) were used in both groups to objectively measure daily step counts, sedentary time (in minutes per day), low-intensity physical activity (in minutes per day), and moderate to vigorous physical activity (in minutes per day). These measures, along with physical function tests, were assessed at baseline and Weeks 12 and 24. The primary outcome was the change in physical activity levels across these parameters.

Results: No adverse events were reported among the 37 participants. The telerehabilitation group demonstrated a significant increase in low-intensity physical activity at Weeks 12 and 24 compared with the control group (mean between-group difference: +30.9 min/day at 12 week and +29.0 min/day at 24 week; p = .04, effect size r = .33 at 12 week, r = .34 at 24 weeks). No significant differences emerged in step count, sedentary time, or moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Conclusions: This pilot study showed telerehabilitation's potential to promote active lifestyles in post total hip replacement or total knee replacement older adults, particularly for increasing low-intensity physical activity. Future research should develop more intensive programs to improve moderate to vigorous physical activity and physical functions.

Background: Perimenopause, the transitional period before menopause, is characterized by various physical and psychological symptoms that can impact women's health, well-being, and quality of life. Lifestyle modifications, including exercise, diet, and health education, might help manage these symptoms, but the current evidence is inconsistent. This systematic review aimed to synthesize and identify gaps in existing randomized controlled trials examining the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions on perimenopause symptoms.

Methods: This review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Four electronic databases (PubMed, CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Scopus) were searched. Two reviewers independently screened the records for eligibility, extracted data, and assessed study quality using a modified Downs and Black checklist and a strategy based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation working group.

Results: A total of 25 studies met the inclusion criteria. Nine studies evaluated exercise-only interventions, 12 studies investigated a combined intervention, and five studies focused on health education-only interventions. Notably, no studies exclusively examined diet-based interventions.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that both exercise and health education might offer benefits in managing perimenopausal symptoms. However, due to large between study variances and methodological inconsistencies, evidence-based guidelines for lifestyle interventions during perimenopause remain elusive. Further high-quality research is needed to determine the optimal principles of lifestyle prescription for addressing perimenopause symptoms.

Significance: The findings underscore the potential of exercise and health education in alleviating perimenopausal symptoms, while emphasizing the need for more rigorous studies to establish definitive, evidence-based guidelines.