ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the pedometer-determined steps per day and physical fitness in order to evaluate the usefulness of the pedometer-determined physical activity to help individuals meet the recommended exercise target level of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). The subjects consisted of 222 men and 172 women aged 71 years in community-dwelling elderly. The subjects wore a pedometer for 7 consecutive days to measure daily steps. The functional capacity was assessed based on the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence (TMIG-IC) and self-reported performance of tasks (stair-climbing and chair-rising). Physical fitness tests included handgrip strength, knee extensor strength, leg extensor power, stepping, one-leg standing time with eyes open and maximal walking speed at 10 m. The men and women took on average 6,561±2,907 and 6,329±2,451 steps/day, respectively. Our subjects seemed to be highly functioning elderly, because the total scores of TMIG-IC (maximum : 13 scores) were on average 12 for men and women. The average of steps/day was significantly correlated with stair-climbing, chair-rising and knee extensor strength in men and women, and with body weight, body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (%Fat) and leg extensor power in women. The BMI and %Fat levels were significantly lower while the handgrip strength and knee extensor strength were significantly higher in women who attained to the level of the pedometer-determined physical activity as recommended by the MHLW.The present study suggests that both men and women who take a lot of steps on a daily basis tend to demonstrate excellent leg strength and thus have a good ability to perform the tasks of daily living. In addition, the degree of obesity tends to be lower in women who regularly take a lot of steps. In addition, the number of daily steps taken has been recognized to be linked to gender, and such a link has also been suggested to be stronger in women than in men.