Search

Objectives: Symptoms of depression and high risk of sarcopenia are common among the older population; however, the associations between these remain unclear. Thus, the present study identified whether depressive symptoms are associated with older adults' sarcopenia risks. Participants: This nationally representative study in Taiwan investigated the older adult population (≥ 65 years) using a telephone survey conducted between 2019 and 2020. Design: Self-reported data obtained included depressive symptoms (5-item from Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale), sarcopenia risks (SARC-F questionnaire), and individual characteristics. The generalized additive models were used to examine the nonlinear associations between depressive symptoms and the risk of sarcopenia. Results: A total of 1,068 older Taiwanese adults (72.15 ± 5.71 years; 52.7% women) participated in the survey. In the unadjusted model, the results showed a significant nonlinear association between high scores on the CES-D and sarcopenia scores (p <.001). Even after adjusting for covariates (sex, age, residential areas, education, marital status, working status, living status, smoking, drinking, and BMI), it still showed a significant non-linear association (p <.001). Conclusion: The results indicated that depressive symptoms were nonlinearly related to older adults' sarcopenia risks. Interventions or programs aiming to alleviate depression can be an effective strategy to prevent sarcopenia in the older adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A limited number of studies have used objective measures to examine the associations between the built environment and physical activity (PA) among older adults. This study aimed to examine geographic information systems-derived neighborhood walkability attributes and accelerometer measured PA in older adults. Data were collected from 124 older Taiwanese adults aged over 60 years (mean age: 69.9). Adjusted multiple linear regression was performed to explore the associations between five neighborhood walkability factors (population density, street connectivity, sidewalk availability, access to destinations, and public transportation) and five metrics of accelerometer-measured physical activity (total PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA, light PA, long moderate-to-vigorous PA bouts, and daily step counts). After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that greater sidewalk availability was positively associated with daily step counts in older adults (β = 0.165; 95% confidence interval: 0.006, 0.412; P = 0.043). No associations between other neighborhood environment attributes and PA metrics were observed. In conclusion, high sidewalk availability in the neighborhood may be supportive for older adults’ daily step counts. Further longitudinal research is needed to establish the causality between the built environment and objectively measured PA in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined gender differences in the associations between perceived environmental factors and walking for recreation in Taiwanese adults. In 2014, a telephone-based, cross-sectional survey targeting Taiwanese adults (20–64 years) was conducted. Data on nine items about environmental perception, time spent in walking for recreation, and socio-demographic variables were obtained from 1,065 adults using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long version and its environmental module. Adults who perceived good aesthetics (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36–2.23) and reported seeing people being active (AOR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.21–2.06) were more likely to perform 150 minutes of recreational walking per week. Furthermore, significant interactions regarding walking for recreation were observed between gender and five environmental correlates: access to shops (p =.046), the presence of sidewalks (p <.001), access to recreational facilities (p =.02), seeing people being active (p =.001), and aesthetics (p <.001). These five perceived environmental factors were positively associated with recreational walking in women but not in men. Gender is a potential modifier between perceived environment and walking for recreation in adults. Perceived environmental factors appear to be more critical for women in performing health-enhancing levels of recreational walking than they are for men. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: Phase angle (PhA) is a prognostic factor for predicting and monitoring geriatric syndromes. However, multiple factors associated with increased PhA values as an outcome remain unclear in the older population. This study aimed to examine the association of socio-demographic, anthropometric and behavioural factors with PhA among older Taiwanese adults., Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted between May and August 2023., Setting: The study was carried out in northern Taiwan, specifically Taipei city and Yilan county., Participants: Participants aged ≥65 years who were able to walk independently and had no artificial implants, such as cardiac pacemakers or joint replacements, were recruited using convenience sampling. A total of 198 participants were initially recruited for this study., Primary Outcome Measures: Data on socio-demographic and behavioural variables were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Anthropometric variables and PhA were measured using a multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analyser (MC-780MA, TANITA). PhA was categorised into 'high' and 'low' using gender-specific cut-off points. A logistic regression analysis was performed., Results: A total of 152 participants (mean age: 72.0±5.5 years; 121 women (79.6%)) were included. Male (OR=0.72, 95% CI=0.02 to 0.33), unmarried (OR=0.22, 95% CI=0.06 to 0.82) and unemployed older adults (OR=0.16, 95% CI=0.03 to 0.87) were less probable to achieve high PhA values. After adjusting for potential confounders, older individuals with an increased body mass index (BMI) (OR=2.56, 95% CI=1.61 to 4.07) and greater muscle mass (OR=1.34, 95% CI=1.12 to 1.60) may have higher PhA values, whereas those with a greater fat mass may have lower PhA values (OR=0.61, 95% CI=0.48 to 0.78). No significant associations were observed between behavioural factors and PhA values., Conclusions: The interventions designed to improve PhA should prioritise strategies tailored to male, unmarried or unemployed older adults, as well as those with low BMI, low muscle mass and high fat mass. Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm and strengthen our findings., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

Background: The impact of meeting leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) recommendations and household physical activity (HPA) on all-cause mortality in the Taiwanese population is unclear. We aimed to investigate the relationship between sufficient LTPA and all-cause mortality in middle-aged and older Taiwanese adults and the role of HPA in those with insufficient LTPA., Methods: This nationwide prospective cohort study included 4,960 participants aged ≥50 years from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study in Aging (TLSA) survey. Physical activity patterns were assessed in 2003 and then followed up until 2015 for mortality through the National Death Registration Record. Cox proportional hazards regression was conducted to evaluate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all-cause mortality., Results: Of the 4,960 participants, 1,712 died of all-cause mortality. Compared to those who had insufficient LTPA, participants who engaged in sufficient LTPA showed a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 0.84, 95% CI, 0.73-0.97). For those with insufficient LTPA, HPA also had a significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 0.85, 95% CI, 0.75-0.96) among general population. Similar associations were observed in subsequent sensitivity analyses. The subgroup analysis showed that the relationship between HPA and reduced mortality risk was only found in the women with insufficient LTPA group., Conclusion: This study confirmed that sufficient LTPA is associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality. If sufficient LTPA cannot be performed, additional HPA is related to lower mortality.

Study Objectives: The aim of this research was to investigate the relationships between objectively measured sleep duration and physical function in older adults., Methods: We recruited community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 60 years old in Taipei City, Taiwan. Sleep duration was measured with accelerometers and recorded as the total hours of sleep per night for each participant. The following physical functions were assessed: 1) grip strength (measured by handgrip dynamometer), 2) balance (1-leg standing test), 3) lower body strength (5-timed chair stand), 4) basic mobility (timed up and go test), 5) gait speed (5-m walk test). The relationships between sleep duration and physical function outcomes were analyzed using generalized additive models, controlling for objectively measured sedentary behavior and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and other sociodemographic variables., Results: A total of 121 older adults (men = 28.9%; mean age = 70.0 ± 5.0 years) was included in this study. A positive association of sleep duration with grip strength was found after adjusting for covariates (P = .005). No significant associations were observed between sleep duration and the other physical function outcomes., Conclusions: For older adults, lengthening their sleep duration may be helpful to enhance the grip strength. This result has implications for improving their health by targeting better performance in specific physical functions. Further studies of sleep duration and physical function among older adults should investigate the underlying mechanisms., (© 2021 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.)

Objectives: To objectively assess light physical activity (PA), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), step counts and number of 10 min MVPA bouts and their association with physical function among older adults., Design: Cross-sectional design., Setting: Urban community setting in Taiwan., Participants: 127 Taiwanese older adults aged over 65 years (mean age=70.8±5.3 years; 72% women)., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: Triaxial accelerometers were used to measure PA variables for 10 hours/day for seven consecutive days. Then, five physical function components (handgrip strength, single-leg stance, 5-metre walk speed, timed up and go and sit-to-stand test) were measured. Multiple linear regressions were used to perform separate analyses for older men and women., Results: For older women, daily MVPA time (β: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.64; p=0.004), daily step counts (β: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.78; p=0.009) and number of 10 min MVPA bouts (β: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.53; p=0.049) were positively associated with handgrip strength after adjusting for accelerometer wear time, sedentary time and other confounders. Furthermore, daily MVPA time was positively associated with a single-leg stance (β: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.49; p=0.036) and higher daily step counts were associated with shorter walking speed performance (β: -0.31, 95% CI: -0.57, -0.001; p=0.049). None of the variables of the objectively assessed PA patterns was associated with physical function outcomes among older men due to their small sample size., Conclusions: Daily MVPA, MVPA bouts of at least 10 min and accumulated daily steps are important for improving physical function among older women. Future prospective research should establish causal associations between PA patterns and functional ability among older adults., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Studies have indicated that sufficient physical activity levels and balanced dietary behavior are independently related to physical function in older populations; however, their joint association with physical function remain unclear. This study examined the independent and combined associations of sufficient physical activity and balanced selection of foods with lower limb strength among 122 older Taiwanese adults living in community (mean age: 69.9 ± 5.0 years). The assessments included accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and self-reported selection of foods. Lower limb strength performance was measured using the five times sit-to-stand test. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the associations in question before and after adjusting for potential confounders. The results showed that in the adjusted model, lower limb strength had no significant independent association with either meeting the recommended level of MVPA or balanced selection of foods. Compared to older adults who neither met the recommended MVPA level nor reported a balanced selection of foods, those who conformed to both these criteria were more likely to have better lower limb strength (odds ratio = 6.28, 95% confidence interval = 1.36-29.01) after adjusting for covariates. Health promotion initiatives addressing disability prevention for older adults need to consider promoting both MVPA and food selection., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

This study aimed to investigate the associations between Walk Score ® and lifestyle behaviors and health outcomes in older Taiwanese adults. A nationwide survey was conducted through telephone-based interviews with older adults (65 years and older) in Taiwan. Data on Walk Score ® , lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, healthy eating behavior, alcohol use, and smoking status), health outcomes (overweight/obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease), and personal characteristics were obtained from 1052 respondents. A binary logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders was employed. None of the Walk Score ® categories were related to the recommended levels of total physical activity. The categories "very walkable" and "walker's paradise" were positively related to total sedentary time and TV viewing among older adults. No significant associations were found between Walk Score ® and other lifestyle health behaviors or health outcomes. While Walk Score ® was not associated with recommended levels of physical activity, it was positively related to prolonged sedentary time in the context of a non-Western country. The different associations between the walk score and health lifestyle behaviors and health outcomes in different contexts should be noted.

The study aimed to describe the prevalence of meeting moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA), muscle-strengthening (MS) activities, and television (TV) viewing guidelines, and their association with sociodemographic factors. Data from older adults aged 65 or above were sampled by age and sex to the population aged 65+ years for each area in Taiwan and collected through telephone interviews. The prevalence of meeting MVPA and MS activities, MVPA and MS activities guidelines, and excessive TV viewing were calculated. We also investigated their associations with sociodemographic variables using logistic regression analyses. A total of 1068 older adults (response rate: 32.5%) participated in the present study. 79.4% met the MVPA guidelines (150 min weekly), 25.3% met the MS guidelines (twice a week), 22.4% met both MVPA and MS guidelines, and 53.1% engaged in excessive TV viewing (more than or equal to two hours per day). Overall, in old age, low educational level was associated with lower odds of meeting MVPA and MS activities, and both the MVPA and MS activity guidelines; while living alone and having no full-time job had higher odds of excessive TV viewing. A large number of older adults do not meet the MS recommendations, but are engaged in excessive TV viewing. Our findings may be important for public health interventions to promote MS and avoid excessive TV viewing, especially for at-risk subgroups.