Contribution of physical fitness component to health status in middle-aged and elderly females

This study determined the physical fitness component that contributes to improving and maintaining health status for each age group as well as quantifying the degree of the relationship between health status and physical fitness in middle-aged and elderly females. The participants were 2,371 females aged 30 to 69 years. Ten physical fitness tests and medical checkups were performed. The participants were divided into a healthy group and an unhealthy group according to health status. Multiple discriminant analysis was applied to the multivariate data. Correct discriminant probabilities of the multiple discriminant function to discriminate the healthy and unhealthy groups for females ranged from 63.0% to 77.5%. These results suggest that there is a relatively high relationship between health status and physical fitness level for middle-aged and elderly females. With each individual's discriminant score calculated by the obtained multiple discriminant function as the index of the degree of health, the Pearson's correlation coefficient of the discriminant score and the performance in each physical fitness test were calculated. The aging change from 30 to 69 years old was classified into four patterns according to the contribution. The result of this study is considered to be useful as objective data to prepare an exercise program considering the contribution of the physical fitness component of health status.     

Biological age versus physical fitness age

A population of healthy middle-aged (n = 69) and elderly men (n = 12), who participated in a health promotion program, was studied to determine whether really physically fit individuals are in good biological condition, and also whether improvement of physical fitness in the middle-aged and the elderly reduces their "rate of aging". Biological and physical fitness ages of the individuals studied were estimated from the data for 18 physiological function tests and 5 physical fitness tests, respectively, by a principal component model. The correlation coefficient between the estimated biological and physical fitness ages was 0.72 (p less than 0.01). Detailed analyses of the relationship between the estimated biological and physical fitness ages revealed that those who manifested a higher ("older") physical fitness age did not necessarily have a higher biological age, but those who manifested a lower ("younger") physical fitness age were also found to have a lower biological age. These results suggested that there were considerable individual variations in the relationship between biological condition and physical fitness among individuals with an old physical fitness age, but those who were in a state of high physical fitness maintained a relatively good biological condition. The data regarding the elderly men who had maintained a regular exercise program indicated that their estimated biological ages were considerably younger than the expected values. This might suggest that in older individuals regular physical activity may provide physiological improvements which in turn might reduce "the rate of aging".     

Assessment of physical fitness levels of elderly Turkish males over 60 years

The purpose of this study was to assess the physical fitness level of independent-living Turkish males aged from 60 to >80 years. 849 healthy and physically independent male adults participated in this study voluntarily. Participants divided into five age groups as 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79 and >80. SFT protocol that included six items (chair stand test, arm curl test, 2 min step test, chair sit and reach test, back scratch test, 8 foot up and go test), was administered to each participant to assess their physical fitness level. Findings from this study indicated that physical fitness level of participants decreased through the aging process. Almost in all test items of SFT 60-64 age group had better scores than that of the other age groups.     

Strong influence of dietary intake and physical activity on body fatness in elderly Japanese men: age-associated loss of polygenic resistance against obesity

Genome-wide association studies identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with body mass index (BMI) in middle-aged populations; however, it is unclear whether these SNPs are associated with body fatness in elderly people. We examined the association between genetic risk score (GRS) from BMI-associated SNPs and body fatness in elderly Japanese men. We also examined the contribution of GRS, dietary macronutrient intake, and physical activity to body fatness by different age groups. GRS was calculated from 10 BMI-associated SNPs in 84 middle-aged (30–64 years) and 97 elderly (65–79 years) Japanese men; subjects were divided into low, middle, and high GRS groups. Dietary macronutrient intake was assessed using a questionnaire, and physical activity was evaluated using both a questionnaire and an accelerometer. The middle-aged individuals with a high GRS had greater BMI; waist circumference; and total abdominal fat, visceral fat, and subcutaneous fat areas than the middle-aged individuals with low GRS, whereas the indicators were not different between the GRS groups in elderly individuals. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that GRS was the strongest predictor of BMI, total abdominal fat, and visceral fat in the middle-aged group, whereas fat, alcohol, and protein intakes or vigorous-intensity physical activity were more strongly associated with these indicators than was GRS in the elderly group. These results suggest that GRS from BMI-associated SNPs is not predictive of body fatness in elderly Japanese men. The stronger contribution of dietary macronutrient intake and physical activity to body fatness may attenuate the genetic predisposition in elderly men.     

Influence of Self-Reported Chronic Rhinosinusitis on Health-Related Quality of Life: A Population-Based Survey

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a frequently occurring chronic respiratory disease. There is evidence that effective treatment of CRS can improve patients’ quality of life, but the data regarding the extent to which CRS impairs patients’ quality of life (QoL) is sparse. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of self-reported CRS on health-related QoL and to determine whether the influence was associated with gender, age and socio-economic status. A four-stage random sampling method was used to select the participants from the general population in Guangzhou, China. All participants were interviewed face-to-face at their homes using a standardized questionnaire. The health-related QoL of each participant was assessed using the SF-36 Health Survey. The scores of the SF-36 after adjusting for gender, age, socioeconomic conditions, smoking and some important comorbid conditions were compared between the CRS group and the non-CRS group using analysis of covariance. A multiple linear regression model with interaction terms was established to determine whether CRS affected QoL to the same degree across the different subpopulations. Among a total of 1,411 participants aged at least 15 years, 118 persons (8.4%) had self-reported CRS. Subjects with CRS had an increased prevalence of allergic rhinitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and gout than subjects without CRS. The CRS group had lower scores in all eight domains and the physical and mental component summary than those without CRS (P<0.05), and the greatest differences were in role emotional function (RE), general health (GH) and role physical function (RP). The impairments of the CRS participants in RE and RP were greater among the females than the males. Moreover, physical domains were affected to greater degrees among the elderly and those with high-level education. In conclusion, CRS is a common chronic disorder. Persons with self-reported CRS perceived themselves as having impaired QoL in both the physical and mental domains. These findings shed new light on the health burden of CRS and should be taken into account by clinicians involved in the care of CRS patients.     

Movement Discordance between Healthy and Non-Healthy US Adults

Introduction

Physical activity is known to significantly impact cardiometabolic health. Accelerometer data, as a measure of physical activity, can be used to objectively identify a disparity in movement (movement discordance) between healthy and unhealthy adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the Movement Discordance between healthy and unhealthy adults in a large US population sample.

Methods

Demographic, health and accelerometer data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) 2003–2004 and 2005–2006 cohorts were used for this study. Participants were classified as either having a “normal” or “abnormal” value for each cardiometabolic health parameter examined, based on published criteria. Linear regression analyses were performed to determine significance of each abnormal health parameter (risk factor) in its unique effect on the accelerometer counts, controlling for age and gender. Average accelerometer counts per minute (cpm) by gender and age categories were estimated separately for the groups of normal and abnormal cardiometabolic risk.

Results

Average cpm for those with healthy levels of each individual cardiometabolic health parameter range from 296 cpm (for C reactive protein) to 337 cpm (for waist circumference), while average cpm for those with abnormal levels of each individual cardiometabolic health parameter range from 216 cpm (for insulin) to 291 cpm (for LDL-cholesterol). After controlling for age and gender, waist circumference, HbA1c, Insulin, Homocysteine, and HDL-Cholesterol were the cardiometabolic health parameters that showed significant, unique and independent effects on cpm. Overall, individuals who have abnormal values for all significant cardiometabolic health parameters (“unhealthy”) averaged 267 cpm (SE = 15 cpm), while the healthy sample of this study averaged 428 cpm (SE = 10 cpm). The difference in cpm between the unhealthy and healthy groups is similar between males and females. Further, for both males and females, the cpm gap between unhealthy and healthy is largest in the 30s (males: 183 cpm; females 144 cpm) and lessens as age increases, with the lowest gap seen in those 80+ years (males, 81 cpm; females, 85 cpm).

Conclusion

This Movement Discordance between healthy and unhealthy adults represents a gap in movement that needs to be closed to improve the health of individuals with, or at risk for cardiometabolic disease.     

Symptoms and risk for obstructive sleep apnea among sample of Saudi Arabian adults

The aim of this study was to determine the risk and symptoms for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among Saudi Arabian adults. This cross-sectional survey among healthy participants was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh (KAMC-R). The Berlin Questionnaire (BQ) was used to assess the risk of OSA, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was used to measure excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) as a manifestation of OSA in participants. The total number of participants was 2095, mean age of the sample was 42.3 (±15.5) years and 848 (40.7%) were females. Using BQ, 31.9% of the participants were classified as high risk for OSA (33.4% among females and 31.1% among males). The risk for OSA increased with age: 19.4% among the young group (≤29 years), 35.2% among the middle-aged (30–59 years), and 41% among the elderly (≥60 years). The risk of symptomatic OSA by combining both BQ and ESS was 7.8% and increased with age (5.5% among the young group, 8.5% among the middle-aged, and 9.7% among the elderly), but there was no difference between gender (8% among females vs. 7.7% among males). This study showed that the risk for OSA is very high, is equal in both genders and it increases with age and obesity.

     

Traditional and Emerging Lifestyle Risk Behaviors and All-Cause Mortality in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Evidence from a Large Population-Based Australian Cohort

Background

Lifestyle risk behaviors are responsible for a large proportion of disease burden worldwide. Behavioral risk factors, such as smoking, poor diet, and physical inactivity, tend to cluster within populations and may have synergistic effects on health. As evidence continues to accumulate on emerging lifestyle risk factors, such as prolonged sitting and unhealthy sleep patterns, incorporating these new risk factors will provide clinically relevant information on combinations of lifestyle risk factors.

Methods and Findings

Using data from a large Australian cohort of middle-aged and older adults, this is the first study to our knowledge to examine a lifestyle risk index incorporating sedentary behavior and sleep in relation to all-cause mortality. Baseline data (February 2006– April 2009) were linked to mortality registration data until June 15, 2014. Smoking, high alcohol intake, poor diet, physical inactivity, prolonged sitting, and unhealthy (short/long) sleep duration were measured by questionnaires and summed into an index score. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used with the index score and each unique risk combination as exposure variables, adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics.During 6 y of follow-up of 231,048 participants for 1,409,591 person-years, 15,635 deaths were registered. Of all participants, 31.2%, 36.9%, 21.4%, and 10.6% reported 0, 1, 2, and 3+ risk factors, respectively. There was a strong relationship between the lifestyle risk index score and all-cause mortality. The index score had good predictive validity (c index = 0.763), and the partial population attributable risk was 31.3%. Out of all 96 possible risk combinations, the 30 most commonly occurring combinations accounted for more than 90% of the participants. Among those, combinations involving physical inactivity, prolonged sitting, and/or long sleep duration and combinations involving smoking and high alcohol intake had the strongest associations with all-cause mortality. Limitations of the study include self-reported and under-specified measures, dichotomized risk scores, lack of long-term patterns of lifestyle behaviors, and lack of cause-specific mortality data.

Conclusions

Adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviors could reduce the risk for death from all causes. Specific combinations of lifestyle risk behaviors may be more harmful than others, suggesting synergistic relationships among risk factors.     

1590名农村中老年人生存质量调查分析(英文)

目的:采用SF-36量表中文版评价农村中老年人生存质量,并为提高农村中老年人的生存质量和健康水平提供科学依据和建议。方法:采用随机抽样的方法,采用面对面访谈的形式,记分方法参照国际生存质量评价计划(IQOLA)的制定标准,评价其生理和心理健康状况。结果:1590名农村中老年人男性生存质量得分高于女性。经济水平对农村中老年人的生理健康的影响大于对其心理健康的影响。配偶健在的农村中老年人的各维度得分均高于无配偶者。农村中老年人的各维度得分随教育水平的升高呈升高趋势。结论:农村中老年人的生存质量与年龄成负相关,同时也受文化程度和经济水平等多个因素的影响。因而,对农村中老年人这一弱势群体应该给予更多关注。     

Anthropometric indices and physical fitness in university undergraduates with different physical activity.

Physical activity and fitness have important health promoting effects with respect to arterosclerosis and coronary heart disease in particular. An intervention study of physical status and physical activity in university undergraduates (University of Tartu) has been carried out. The physically inactive (Group I) consisted of 310 undergraduates (235 females and 75 males) of the Faculty of Medicine. The physically active (Group II) was recruited from among undergraduates (22 females and 23 males) of the Faculty of Exercise and Sport Sciences, who participated in training sessions regularly, 3 to 5 times per week. Anthropometric body measurements, arm force, vital capacity and exercise test on the bicycle ergometer (PWC170) were performed. There were no statistically significant differences between the mean values of anthropometric indices in case of physically inactive and physically active female subjects. In the group of physically active male undergraduates, weight and shoulder width were larger than in students with physically sedentary life style (p < 0.05). Most of the female and male students had normal BMI. There were statistically significant differences in the mean values of vital capacity, arm force and aerobic working capacity between the study groups, while physically active students had higher physical capacity (p < 0.001). Mean anthropometric indices demonstrated a statistically significant increase in both female and male university undergraduates after the interval of 30 years. Normal BMI and anthropometric indices do not serve a as guarantee of physical fitness for university undergraduates who are involved in sedentary life style. Regular physical activity has a strong positive impact on physical fitness, particularly on aerobic capacity which is the most important health promoting component of physical fitness with respect to coronary heart disease.     

Calidad de la alimentación de adultos mayores de Santiago de Chile

IntroductionWith the increase in the elderly population of Chile, it is very important to evaluate the quality of food of this age group using simple and quick tools.ObjectiveTo compare the food quality of the elderly, according to gender and age.Material and methodsA cross sectional study was conducted on 458 elderly subjects ≥ 60 years-old of Santiago de Chile. Each one of them were interviewed in their home using the Food Quality Survey for Elderly (FQSE). The objective of this survey is to measure the quality of the food and preparations considered healthy and/or unhealthy for elderly. Weight and height, was obtained from the control document of the elderly.ResultsMen consume a higher number of unhealthy foods compared to women (P = .01). On comparing ages, those over 80 years-old consumed less unhealthy foods (P = .01). The elderly obese showed a lower score in unhealthy eating habits and total intake score.ConclusionWomen eat healthier compared to men, and better eating habits are observed at an older age, especially in men. Finally, on comparing nutritional status, the elderly obese are those who eat in the most inadequate form.     

Prepubertal children with suitable fitness and physical activity present reduced risk of oxidative stress

To assess the impact of fitness status and physical activity on oxidative stress in prepubertal children, we measured selected biomarkers such as protein carbonyls (PC), lipid peroxidation products, and total nitrites, as well as the antioxidant system: total glutathione (TG), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase activity, and glutathione peroxidase. A total of 132 healthy children ages 7-12, at prepubertal stage, were classified into two groups according to their fitness level: low fitness (LF) and high fitness (HF). They were observed while engaged in an after-school exercise program, and a questionnaire was created to obtain information on their physical activity or sedentary habits. Plasma and red blood cells were obtained to analyze biomarkers. Regarding oxidative stress markers, the LF group and the sedentary group showed higher levels of TG and GSSG and a lower GSH/GSSG ratio than the HF group and the children engaged in physical activity. A negative association was found between PC and GSSG and TG and between TG and the GSH/GSSG ratio. Moreover, a negative correlation was found between GSSG and fitness, with a positive correlation with the GSH/GSSG ratio. TG, GSSG, and the GSH/GSSG ratio seem to be reliable markers of oxidative stress in healthy prepubertal children with low fitness or sedentary habits. This research contributes to the recognition that an adequate level of fitness and recreational physical activity in childhood leads to better health and oxidative status.     

Health-related fitness of sedentary elderly in the Netherlands

The assessment of fitness is a component of a national project aimed at the enhancement of physical avtivity among sedentary older adults, aged 55-65 year in the Netherlands. Deterioration in physical functioning may be improved through an exercise programme. Research showed that enhancement of physical activity results in improved fitness, increased functional ability and health-related quality of life. Scientific results of the association between exercise and physical fitness in older adults is not sufficiently evidence-based in the Netherlands. In order to support health policy interventions 5.584 fitness tests of sedentary older adults were analyzed. The fitness was assessed by the Groninger Fitnesstest for Elderly (GFE). The analysis of physical fitness in sedentary older adults showed a lower fitness status among the age group 55-65 of age and women. Health risk factors such as overweight and having a chronic disease explained 88% of the variance between a low fitness and a high fitness profile.     

Fall risk characteristics of the elderly in an exercise class

The purpose of this study was to clarify the fall risk characteristics of the elderly participating in an exercise class.The subjects were comprised of 206 elderly Japanese aged 60 or older (37 males, 169 females) who participated in an exercise class, approved by the local government, once a week for 6 months. Physical fitness and ADL capability were evaluated by the physical fitness test of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Fall risk was evaluated using the Fall Assessment Chart. Subjects were divided into two groups, high fall risk (total fall risk score > or =5) and low fall risk (total fall risk score <5), and the percentage of subjects in the high risk group was calculated.The percentage of subjects with a high fall risk was 15.8%, lower than the documented rate of the community-dwelling elderly in a previous study. Significant differences between fall risk groups were found in balance and ADL capabilities of walking, holding and changing posture and muscular strength. These functions also were significantly related to fall risk elements such as fall anxiety and slipping or stumbling at home in the partial correlation analyses.Improvement of these functions during exercise class may be useful in decreasing fall risk in the elderly.     

Association between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Health-Related Quality of Life among Patients at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease in Uruguay

To date, few studies have examined the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in populations at high risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Purpose

To examine the association between objectively measured CRF and physical and mental components of HRQoL in a Uruguayan cohort at risk for developing CVD.

Methods

Patient data records from 2002–2012 at the Calidad de Vida Center were examined. To assess CRF, participants performed a submaximal exercise test. During the evaluation, participants also completed the SF-36, a HRQoL measure comprised of eight dimensions that are summarized by physical and mental component scores (PCS and MCS, respectively). ANCOVA was used to examine the relationship between HRQoL dimensions and CRF. Logistic regression was then used to compare the odds of having a HRQoL component score above the norm across CRF. All analyses were performed separately for males and females with additional stratified analyses across age and BMI conducted among significant trends.

Results

A total of 2,302 subjects were included in the analysis. Among females, a significant relationship was observed between CRF and vitality, physical functioning, physical role, bodily pain, and general health dimensions. However, for males the only dimension found to be significantly associated with CRF was physical health. After adjusting for potential confounders, a significant linear trend (p<0.001) for PCS scores above the norm across CRF levels was observed for females only.

Conclusion

Among females with one or more risk factors for developing CVD, higher levels of CRF were positively associated with the vitality and physical dimensions of HRQoL, as well as the overall PCS. However, among males the only dimension associated with CRF was physical functioning. Future studies should examine this relationship among populations at risk for developing CVD in more detail and over time.     

类风湿关节炎与痛风关节炎患者身心健康、炎症状态及免疫功能的比较

目的:比较类风湿关节炎与痛风关节炎患者身心健康、炎症及免疫状态的差异。方法:选择我院2016年5月至2018年8月收治的66例类风湿关节炎患者及63例痛风关节炎患者作为研究对象,并将之分为类风湿关节炎(Rheumatoid arthritis,RA)组及痛风关节炎(Gouty arthritis,GA)组。同时选取60例体检健康人群作为健康组。观察比较三组研究对象身心健康评分、炎症及免疫相关指标水平。结果:RA组及GA组身心健康评分显著低于健康组(P0.05),炎症及免疫相关指标水平显著高于健康组(P0.05)。RA组患者总体健康评分、社会功能评分、红细胞沉降率(ESR)、C反应蛋白(CRP)、免疫球蛋白G(Ig G)、免疫球蛋白A(Ig A)、免疫球蛋白M(Ig M)及补体3(C3)水平显著高于GA组(P0.05),白细胞(WBC)总数明显少于GA组(P0.05),两组患者生理功能、生理职能、身体疼痛、活力、情感职能、心理健康评分及补体4(C4)水平比较差异不显著(P0.05)。结论:相较于健康人群,类风湿关节炎患者及痛风关节炎患者身心健康状况差,易出现炎症、免疫功能紊乱现象,且类风湿关节炎患者炎症程度较深,免疫功能影响更大。     

Early-life exposure to parental mental distress and adulthood depression among middle-aged and elderly Chinese

Although mental illness among the middle-aged and the elderly has become a global public health issue and there is a burgeoning interest in the intergenerational transmission of mental health concerns in recent years, the long-term impact of parental mental health problems on child mental health conditions in developing countries remains unknown. Using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), which provides both contemporaneous and retrospective data collected from a nationally representative sample of Chinese residents aged 45 years and above, this study employed a multilevel modeling approach to investigate the association between early-life exposure to parental mental distress and adulthood depression among the middle-aged and elderly Chinese. Our study showed that childhood parental mental health problems predicted mid- and late-life depression in Chinese contexts and the result remained robust to a suite of robustness checks. Our exploration of potential pathways of the relationship found the following adversities that were associated with the exposure to parental mental distress in early life and may have contributed to the depression among the middle-aged and elderly: higher rates of childhood physical abuse by parents, poor childhood health, lower levels of educational attainment, poor physical health and individual economic status in adulthood. Further, our heterogeneity analysis indicated that the transmission effect was stronger for the elderly than the middle-aged and that the improvement of childhood SES mitigated the intergenerational transmission. We also found that childhood parental mental distress was potentially a moderator, which inhibited the recovery from depression. The findings will inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of relevant public health policies. It highlights the need for more efforts to prevent and mitigate the profound impacts of childhood parental mental distress on the late-life well-being of child generations.     

Age-specific correlation analysis of longitudinal physical fitness levels in men.

This study investigated the age-specific tracking of adult health- and performance-related fitness scores. In addition, the independent contribution of adolescent physical characteristics to the explanation of adult fitness scores was also studied. The sample consisted of 173 adults observed at age 30 years. These subjects had been followed at annual intervals from age 13 to age 18 years and were remeasured at age 30 years. At each age nine fitness tests were administered together with the recording of anthropometric dimensions, biological maturation, sports participation and family characteristics. Tracking was measured by the inter-age correlations at each age between 13 and 18 years and the performance scores at 30 years. The independent contribution of characteristics observed during adolescence to the explanation of adult fitness was investigated through stepwise multiple regression analysis and discriminant analysis with the adult fitness scores as the dependent variables and the fitness, maturation, anthropometric characteristics, sports participation and family background as the independent variables. Tracking between age 13 and age 30 years was moderately high (46% of variance explained) for flexibility, low to moderate (between 19% and 27% of variance explained) for the other fitness parameters and low for pulse recovery and static strength (7% to 11% of variance explained). Between age 18 and age 30 years the tracking was high for flexibility, moderately high for explosive and static strength, and moderate for the other fitness parameters except for pulse recovery. The amount of variance of adult fitness levels explained increased significantly when other characteristics observed during adolescence entered the regressions or discriminant functions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

杭州市中青年健康体检人群甲状腺结节检出状况及影响因素分析

摘要 目的：调查研究杭州地区中青年健康体检人群甲状腺结节检出情况,分析发病影响因素。方法：回顾性分析2020年1月至2021年12月我院杭州市中青年健康体检者的体检资料,剔除体检信息不全及超声成像不满意者,共1920例纳入此次研究。设计结构化问卷收集体检人群人口学特征、生活方式资料。计算杭州市健康体检人群甲状腺结节检出率,分析甲状腺结节发病影响因素。结果：1920例杭州市中青年健康体检者中,共检出甲状腺结节632例（32.92%）。甲状腺结节发病影响因素的单因素分析发现,甲状腺结节组和非甲状腺结节组在性别、婚姻状况、饮食、运动、吸烟、饮酒、睡眠、体质指数、总胆红素、谷丙转氨酶、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇、空腹血糖等方面比较,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,性别、婚姻状况、饮食、运动、吸烟、饮酒、睡眠、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇是甲状腺结节发病的独立影响因素（P<0.05）。结论：杭州市中青年健康体检人群甲状腺结节检出率较高,应加强筛查力度,提高健康素养,改变生活方式,降低甲状腺结节的发病率。     

Research on a Community-based Platform for Promoting Health and Physical Fitness in the Elderly Community

This study aims to assess the acceptability of a fitness testing platform (iFit) for installation in an assisted living community with the aim of promoting fitness and slowing the onset of frailty. The iFit platform develops a means of testing Bureau of Health Promotion mandated health assessment items for the elderly (including flexibility tests, grip strength tests, balance tests, and reaction time tests) and integrates wireless remote sensors in a game-like environment to capture and store subject response data, thus providing individuals in elderly care contexts with a greater awareness of their own physical condition. In this study, we specifically evaluated the users’ intention of using the iFit using a technology acceptance model (TAM). A total of 101 elderly subjects (27 males and 74 females) were recruited. A survey was conducted to measure technology acceptance, to verify that the platform could be used as intended to promote fitness among the elderly. Results indicate that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and usage attitude positively impact behavioral intention to use the platform. The iFit platform can offer user-friendly solutions for a community-based fitness care and monitoring of elderly subjects. In summary, iFit was determined by three key drivers and discussed as follows: risk factors among the frail elderly, mechanism for slowing the advance frailty, and technology acceptance and support for promoting physical fitness.