Differences in health-related behaviors and body mass index risk categories in African American women in college.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if differences in health-related behaviors (diet and physical activity) exist in African American college women based on body mass index (BMI) risk categories. METHODS: One hundred eighty-six African American women (age, 19.5 +/- 2.5 y) in college were surveyed using the modified National College Health Risk Behavior Survey. Data regarding demographics, weight loss history/methods, food choices, and physical activity frequency were compared for obese (BMI > or = 30, n = 30), overweight (25 < or = BMI < 30, n = 45), and normal-weight (BMI < 25, n = 111) groups. Data were analyzed using multiple 2-way analyses of variance. RESULTS: No differences in food choices were determined between the groups. The overweight and obese groups were more likely than the normal-weight group to have used healthy modalities such as diet and/or exercise to try to lose weight instead of unhealthy methods such as laxatives and diet pills. The overweight group reported more vigorous aerobic training and strength training workouts than the normal-weight group. CONCLUSIONS: Food selection and activity frequency are not enough to differentiate African American women in different BMI categories. Other factors may contribute to obesity such as food portion sizes, genetics, and/or intensity of physical activities.

The ramp power test: a power assessment during a functional task for older individuals.

BACKGROUND: Power is critical to mobility and activities of daily living and is a key determinant of independence and falls prevention. Therefore, the quantification of power in older persons is critical. The power tests currently available are often expensive, potentially dangerous, and not reflective of everyday activities. We present a modification of an existing field test that uses ambulation up a standard access ramp to quantify functional power in older individuals. METHODS: Three hundred sixty-three women and 157 men, aged 73.1 +/- 7.0 years, ambulated up a standard access ramp (1:12 rise/run ratio) as quickly as possible. Each person performed one practice and two timed trials. RESULTS: Comparisons with accepted power measures and reported patterns of change with aging supported the validity of the ramp power test. The test was found to be reliable across multiple trials and days. Pair-wise comparisons showed that for women the test was sensitive to differences in power output by half-decade, whereas for men it could distinguish between 9 of the 15 comparisons among age groups. Percentile scores are reported by half-decade for power in both genders. In > 1200 trials performed during this study, only one injury (a slightly strained hamstring) occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The ramp power test is valid and reliable and can safely distinguish power by half-decade in women and among the majority of age groups in men. Its safety, low cost, and ease of administration make it a feasible diagnostic tool to assess functional power levels in ambulatory older persons.

A review of selected longitudinal studies on aging: past findings and future directions.

A review of the 51 longitudinal aging studies currently in the National Institute on Aging Database of Longitudinal Studies was conducted to identify major information gaps and areas for future research. Database information, which included posted study summaries, study details from principal investigators or directors of these projects, and more than 300 recent publications based on the studies, were reviewed to identify significant findings of each study. This review summarizes the main findings and identifies the need for future work within six broad study topics: cognitive function, socioeconomic status, health and physical performance, morbidity and mortality predictors, healthcare costs, and genetics. The percentages of these 51 studies addressing the four most common topics are as follows: cognitive function (44%), health and physical performance (51%), socioeconomic factors (55%), and predictors of morbidity/mortality (63%). Important areas not addressed to any major degree were healthcare costs and genetics. Only two studies reported findings on genetics or epigenetics of human aging, and only a single study reported on associations between aging and financial costs, especially healthcare costs, which have been postulated to be important determinants of care and life quality. The results of this review, together with the specific directions proposed by other investigators with longitudinal study expertise, will inform the strategic planning of future long-term studies of aging.

The modified total body rotation test: a rapid, reliable assessment of physical function in older adults.

OBJECTIVES: To describe a quick, modified measure of total body rotation with performance rankings for elderly persons and to highlight the importance of total body rotational ability for overall physical performance. DESIGN: Scores were collected during the same testing session and were compared with other measures using a Pearson correlation. SETTING: Community-based senior centers. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred forty-five participants aged 79.6±7.2 were recruited using flyers distributed at health fairs, senior centers, and lifelong learning programs. MEASUREMENTS: The modified total body rotation test (MTBR), the back-scratch test, the modified sit-and-reach test, the 30-second chair-stand test, the Short Physical Performance Battery, and the short version of the Continuous-Scale Physical Functional Performance Test. RESULTS: The MBTR significantly correlated to all standard measures of physical performance. Norms are reported for all participants, and reliability analyses were conducted using data from 18 participants. Data were divided into quintiles to create cutoffs for physical performance rankings that can be used when reporting results to the general public. CONCLUSION: Many evaluations measure isolated components of physical performance, but few examine whole body movements that allow all components necessary for independence and function to work in harmony as needed considering the task and the individual's movement strategy. The current study offers the MTBR as a quick, easy, and cost-effective evaluation method to quantify the degree of impairment or injury and the rate of improvement with treatment or training.

The effects of an active-assisted stretching program on functional performance in elderly persons: a pilot study.

This study examined the impact of an eight-week active-assisted (AA) stretching program on functionality, mobility, power, and range of motion (ROM) in elderly residents of a residential retirement community. Seventeen volunteers (4 male, 13 female; 88.8 +/- 5.36 years) were randomly assigned to an AA or control group. The AA group performed 10 different AA stretches targeting the major joints of the body twice weekly for eight weeks. Controls attended classes requiring limited physical activity. All participants were assessed using four flexibility and six functional tests, one week before and after the eight-week training period. A fully randomized repeated-measures ANCOVA with pretest scores as a covariate was used to detect differences between groups across time. The AA group demonstrated significant increases in ROM for most of the joints evaluated (p < 0.05) and significant increases in all performance measures (p < 0.05). Controls showed no improvements in functional or ROM measures (alpha = 0.05). Additionally, the AA group showed significantly better performance outcomes across the training period than controls. We conclude that our eight-week flexibility program effectively reduces age-related losses in ROM and improves functional performance in elderly persons with insufficient physical reserves to perform higher-intensity exercises.

Walker use, but not falls, is associated with lower physical functioning and health of residents in an assisted-living environment.

The relationship between perceived health and walker use has seldom been addressed. Concerns over falls and falls risk are precursors to walker use. We compared the SF-36 scores of 26 women and 14 men, mean age 86.8 +/- 6.0 years based on walker use and faller status. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with age as the covariate, compared groups for the SF-36 constructs and totals score. Significant differences were noted between walker users and nonusers in physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, general health, and the total SF-36 score. Pairwise comparisons favored nonusers, while no differences were seen due to faller status. Walker use is associated with lower self-perceptions of physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, and general health in assisted-living residents. Faller status is not associated with self-perceived health status. Although walker use aids mobility and lowers the probability of falls, further research is needed to determine if the prescription of assistive devices has a more negative impact on self-perceived health than does falling. This possibility could be explained, in part, by the greater activity levels of those individuals who do not depend on walkers.

The gallon-jug shelf-transfer test: an instrument to evaluate deteriorating function in older adults.

This study examined the validity, reliability, and discriminatory capacity of the gallon-jug shelf-transfer (GJST) test. Six hundred fifty-three independent-living older adults (463 women age 72.9 +/- 7.0 years, 190 men age 74.3 +/- 6.7 years) participated. Participants moved five 1-gallon jugs (approximately 3.9 kg) from a knee-high to a shoulder-high shelf as quickly as possible. The GJST showed an exponential performance decline with age, and there were significant correlations between the GJST and common functional tests (p<.001). High within-day and between-days reliability was detected. The test also detected differences resulting from training status (p<.01) and training protocols (p<.05). The GJST is a valid, reliable, inexpensive, safe, and easily administered clinical test for identifying physically vulnerable elders who could benefit from interventions such as exercise to improve their physical capacities and maintain independence.