Normative Data for Timed-Up-and-Go and One-Leg-Standing for 66-Year-Old Koreans: A Nationwide Study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Public Health
• Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Background:

• Mobility assessment is crucial for older adults' health.
• Sex-specific normative data are essential for accurate interpretation of mobility tests.
• Previous data may not reflect current population health trends.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish updated, sex-stratified normative data for the timed-up-and-go (TUG) and one-leg-standing (OLS) tests in 66-year-old Koreans.
• To analyze factors influencing TUG and OLS performance in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional study utilizing a large, nationally representative dataset from the Korean National Health Insurance Service.
• Included 2,704,715 participants (53.7% female) aged 66 years, with 2,231,397 analyzed for OLS.
• Calculated sex-stratified means, SDs, and percentiles for TUG and OLS, and analyzed demographic, health, and comorbidity influences.

Main Results:

• Men demonstrated superior performance in both TUG (8.20s vs 8.59s) and OLS (20.39s vs 18.26s) compared to women (P < .001).
• Both sexes showed performance improvements in TUG and OLS over the 9-year study period.
• Negative impacts on performance were associated with female sex, low income, obesity, and chronic conditions.

Conclusions:

• The study provides current normative values for TUG and OLS, aiding accurate mobility assessment and risk screening in 66-year-old Koreans.
• Observed improvements highlight positive public health trends, but tailored interventions are needed for vulnerable populations.
• Emphasizes the need for population-specific reference values and standardized protocols to enhance functional health and quality of life.