Association between locomotive syndrome and anemia among community-dwelling older adults.

AIM: To investigate the association between locomotive syndrome and anemia among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at specific health checkup centers in Japan between 2019 and 2020. We sent a questionnaire to older adults aged ≥65 years who participated in health checkups. A total of 2507 community-dwelling older adults were included in this study (mean age = 72.3 years, 51.4% women). Locomotive syndrome was measured using a 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale with a score range of 0-100, and was defined as ≥16 points. Anemia was defined using World Health Organization criteria, as a hemoglobin concentration of <13.0 g/dL in men and <12.0 g/dL in women. Logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between locomotive syndrome and anemia, adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, depression symptoms, self-reported comorbidities (cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, knee osteoarthritis, fractures, and spinal disease), hypertension, and renal function. RESULTS: Of all the participants, 11.6% had locomotive syndrome and 12.8% had anemia. Even after adjustment, a relationship between locomotive syndrome and anemia was observed (adjusted odds ratio = 1.9, 95% confidence interval = 1.3-2.7). CONCLUSIONS: Community-dwelling older adults with anemia had a significantly higher prevalence of locomotive syndrome than those without. This finding suggests that older adults with anemia are at risk of locomotive syndrome, and appropriate measures should be taken for prevention. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 426-429.

Context of walking and loneliness among community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Older adults are more likely to experience loneliness than younger people. Moreover, greater loneliness in older adults is associated with poor mental health and increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Physical activity is an effective intervention for reducing loneliness among older adults. Among physical activities, walking is suitable for older adults, because it is easy and safe to incorporate into daily life. We hypothesized that the association between walking and loneliness depends on the presence of others and the number of people present. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the context of walking (the number of walkers) and loneliness among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 173 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 or older. Context of walking was classified as non-walking, walking alone (days of walking alone > days of walking with someone), and walking with someone (days of walking alone ≤ days of walking with someone). Loneliness was measured using the Japanese version of the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale. A linear regression model was used to investigate the relationship between context of walking and loneliness, adjusted for age, sex, living situation, social participation, and physical activity excluding walking. RESULTS: Data from 171 community-dwelling older adults (mean age = 78.0 years, 59.6% women) were analyzed. After adjustment, walking with someone was associated with lower loneliness than non-walking (adjusted ß: -0.51, 95% confidence interval: -1.00, -0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The study's findings suggest that walking with a companion may effectively prevent or reduce loneliness among older adults.

Walking and perception of green space among older adults in Japan: subgroup analysis based self-efficacy.

Self-efficacy is the key factor for promoting physical activity. Older adults with low self-efficacy tend to be physical inactive than those with high self-efficacy, and an approach is needed to promote physical activity. Among several approaches, increasing the perception of green space may be an effective approach for low self-efficacy not high self-efficacy, but no study has investigated. This study investigated the association between walking and perception of green space among older adults with high and low self-efficacy, respectively. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 204 community-dwelling older adults (mean age = 78.3 years, 62.3% females). Using the median split, the participants were divided into high and low self-efficacy groups based on the median score of 12. Walking was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and 'more walking' was defined as ≥150 min of walking time per week. Perception of green space was measured using an 8-item questionnaire. We performed logistic regression analysis to investigate the association between walking and perception of green space adjusted for age, gender, years of education, living with someone and income level. For all participants, 94 participants (46.1%) fell under low self-efficacy. After adjustment, higher perception of green space is associated with more walking among older adults with low self-efficacy [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.00-1.15], but not among those with high self-efficacy (aOR = 1.09, 95% CI= 0.99-1.20). To increase perception of green space, experts should design/improve green spaces considering beneficiaries' characteristics.

Low self-efficacy has a negative effect on Activities of Daily Living and Quality of Life through physical inactivity among older adults. Encouraging physical activity among those with low self-efficacy can help solve the problem, but individual intervention towards low self-efficacy requires great effort. Therefore, we focused on environmental factors as they affect more people, and investigated the association between perception of green space and walking among older adults with high and low self-efficacy, respectively. This cross-sectional study was conducted among community-dwelling older adults in Japan, the variables used in this study were asked by a questionnaire. We examined whether older people who have higher perception of green space do more walking. As a result of the analysis, high perception of green space was associated with more walking among community-dwelling older adults with low self-efficacy, but not among older adults with high self-efficacy. This result may lead to solves the problem of physical inactivity in older adults with low self-efficacy from the perspective of environmental factors. To increase perception of green space, experts such as urban planners and policy makers should design/improve green spaces considering beneficiaries' characteristics such as quantity, quality and accessibility.

The Japan-Multimodal Intervention Trial for Prevention of Dementia PRIME Tamba (J-MINT PRIME Tamba): Study protocol of a randomised controlled multi-domain intervention trial.

The Japan-Multimodal Intervention Trial for Prevention of Dementia PRIME Tamba (J-MINT PRIME Tamba) is a randomised controlled trial to prevent cognitive decline in community-dwelling cognitively ordinary older people at risk of dementia. Participants are aged 65-85 years living in a rural area in Japan, aware of very mild decline in cognitive function or abilities of activities of daily living, have at least one vascular risk (e.g. hypertension or diabetes), and have a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 24 or higher. Approximately 200 participants are randomly divided into two groups, with the intervention group receiving a multi-modal intervention, including lifestyle-related disease management, physical exercise, cognitive training, and nutritional counselling, over 18 months. The primary outcome is change in the composite score of seven neuropsychological tests, including the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test, Logical Memory I and II subsets of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, and Digit Symbol Substitution Test of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. In addition, changes in a wide range of other parameters such as physical function, blood test results, sleep, and frailty are also analysed as secondary outcomes. We believe that this study's results will contribute significantly to the development of dementia prevention measures in Japan. Clinical trial registration number: UMIN000041938.

Association Between Workplace Social Capital and Neck Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Workers.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the association between workplace social capital (WSC) and presence of neck pain (NP) among workers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 595 workers. Presence of NP was assessed using Numerical Rating scale. WSC (overall, bonding, bridging, and linking) was divided into three categories (low, middle, and high) based on tertile distributions. We used logistic regression analysis to investigate the association between WSC and presence of NP. RESULTS: Low overall, bonding, and linking social capital were significantly associated with presence of NP in comparison with each high social capital (overall: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.14 to 2.73; bonding: aOR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.19 to 2.67, linking: aOR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.32 to 3.63). CONCLUSION: Lower WSC had an association with higher prevalence of NP among workers.