著者

Rumi Kozakai Shigeki Tsuzuku Kyonosuke Yabe Fujiko Ando Naoakira Niino Hiroshi Shimokata

出版者

Japan Epidemiological Association

雑誌

Journal of Epidemiology (ISSN:09175040)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.10, no.1sup, pp.77-81, 2000 (Released:2007-11-30)

参考文献数

21

被引用文献数

22 25

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To prevent a decline in gait with age, it is necessary to investigate age-related changes in gait performance and detect related factors. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between gait ability and leg extension power among middle-aged and elderly people. Height, weight, maximum gait velocity (MGV) and leg extension power (LEP) were measured in 752 males and females who participated in the National Institute for Longevity Sciences, Longitudinal Study of Aging (NILS-LSA). Age-related changes in MGV and LEP and the association between MGV and LEP were assessed. There were significant decline trends in height, weight, MGV and LEP with advancing age (p<0.001). MGV showed a significantly positive correlation with LEP (in males: r=0.48 p<0.001, in females: r=0.47; p<0.001). Subjects aged 60yrs and over showed a significantly higher correlation than those under 60yrs in males, but not in females, after adjustment for height and weight. Although the relationships between MGV and LEP were different by age and gender, LEP may be one of the important factors in maintaining gait ability. J Epidemiol, 2000 ; 10 : S77-S81.

著者

Naoakira Niino Shigeki Tsuzuku Fujiko Ando Hiroshi Shimokata

出版者

Japan Epidemiological Association

雑誌

Journal of Epidemiology (ISSN:09175040)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.10, no.1sup, pp.90-94, 2000 (Released:2007-11-30)

参考文献数

17

被引用文献数

87 115

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Frequencies and circumstances of falls were assessed among 1030 middle-aged and elderly people who participated in the NILS-LSA (National Institute for Longevity Sciences, Longitudinal Study of Aging) from November, 1997 to March, 1999 and responded to the questionnaires. The variables analyzed in the present study were demography and history of falls in the past one year. Circumstances of falls, e.g. time, location, activities associated with falls, cause of falls and degree of injury due to falls were asked when the subjects experienced a fall. Fear of falling was also investigated in all subjects. The prevalence of falls was 12.9% in the middle-aged group (40-59yr.) and 16.5% in the elderly group (60-79yr.). The distribution of time, location, activity associated with falls, cause and injury due to falls corresponded with previous fall studies among community-dwelling elderly people. The incidence of falls was extremely high during the daytime and outdoors. Falls occurred most frequently while walking. The majority of falls were due to extrinsic factors. About 40% of all falls caused no injury. As to the fear of falling, about 30% of the middle-aged subjects and about 60% of the elderly subjects reported that they were fearful. Our results suggested that fall accidents are not rare, even in middle-aged people. J Epidemiol, 2000 ; 10 : S90-S94.