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Changes in physical performance among high-functioning older adults: a 6-year follow-up study.
P Hämäläinen1,2, J Suni1, M Pasanen1
1UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, P.O. Box 30, 33501 Tampere, Finland.
European Journal of Ageing
|August 11, 2017
Summary
Physical performance declines with age, with older adults and women experiencing greater deterioration in health-related fitness (HRF) over six years. Poorer baseline fitness predicted lower participation in follow-up assessments.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Exercise Physiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Maintaining physical function is crucial for healthy aging.
- Longitudinal studies are needed to understand age-related declines in fitness.
- High-functioning older adults provide a valuable cohort for studying fitness changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine changes in physical performance over a 6-year period in high-functioning older adults.
- To analyze how baseline fitness influences participation and outcomes in a longitudinal study.
- To identify demographic factors associated with fitness deterioration.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 1,133 adults (born 1917-1941) completed health-related fitness (HRF) tests in 1996.
- 606 participants were retested on HRF measures in 2002, including gait speed, stair climbing, and trunk mobility.
- Statistical analyses examined changes in performance, the impact of age and gender, and factors influencing retesting participation.
Main Results:
- Poorer baseline fitness was associated with non-participation and exclusions during retesting.
- Aged participants showed greater performance deterioration than younger participants over 6 years.
- Women experienced declines in all tested HRF components, while men showed declines in fewer areas.
Conclusions:
- Older age and female gender are linked to increased deterioration in several HRF components among those completing follow-up.
- The observed fitness declines likely underestimate the true changes due to participant selection bias.
- Findings highlight the differential impact of aging on physical performance in high-functioning older adults.
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