Association of physical performance and health-related factors among elderly Korean subjects

• Published in: International sportmed journal for FIMS 2009-01, Vol.10 (4)
• Main Authors: Yoon, B-K, Kim, C-H, Lim, H-J, Kim, Y-S, Im, J-A, Paik, I-Y, Jeon, J Y, Cho, H-S, Jeong, H-S, Jin, Y-S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1528-3356; 1528-3356

Although there is substantial evidence indicating the importance of physical performance in older adults, not many studies have examined the association between physical performance and health-related factors for the elderly Korean population. Research question: To investigate the relationship between physical performance and health-related factors among elderly Korean people. Type of study: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A total of 360 Korean older adults (men=154 and women=206) age: 72.1 plus or minus 5.7 years, were recruited from six different Old Adult Health Centres in Seoul, Korea. Six tests including chair standing (CST), get up and go (3 metres), standing reach (SRT), 6-minute walking, hand-grip, and the 1.6km walking test were performed. Serum levels of fasting glucose, insulin, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured. Body composition was also measured. Results: The get up and go test was correlated with TG, lean mass, SBP and hip C (r = .15, r = -.264, r = .136, and r = .148). SRT was correlated with TG (r = -.15) and lean mass (r = .336). Significant correlations were also found for lean mass and WHR with hand-grip strength (r = .818 and r = .255). The 6-minute walking test was correlated with lean mass, fat mass, waist, and hip C (r = .421, r = -.159, r = -.144 and r = -.23). CST had a significant correlation with HDL-C, lean mass, fat mass, BMI, waist and WHR (r = .187, r = .183, r = -.18, r= -.134, r = -.157, and r = -.159). The 1-mile walking test was correlated with TG, insulin, HOMA-IR, lean mass, and fat mass (r = .176, r = .261, r = .254, r = -.23 and r = .213). VO2max was correlated with lean mass, TC, TG, TC/HDL, insulin, HOMA-IR, fat mass, BMI, resting HR, and hip C (r =.353, -.194, r = -.245, r = -.197, r = -.258, r = -.21, r = -.346, r = -.237, r = -.257 and r = -.191). Conclusions: Lean body mass was well correlated with all physical performance tests, and cardiorespiratory endurance was associated with body composition and metabolic parameters in older Korean adults.