Correlates of early attrition from school sports clubs in male senior high school students: a 2.4-year follow-up study.

The correlation between early attrition and school sports clubs has been underexplored. This study aims to clarify the correlates of early attrition from school sports clubs at a private male senior high school in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Of the 928 first-year students, 331 belonging to the school's sports clubs were included in this study. A baseline survey was conducted in May 2017 and a follow-up survey was conducted in October 2019. This study defined early attrition as a student who quit a sports club earlier than April in their third year. Examined correlates for early attrition consisted of biological, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and institutional factors. We used univariate logistic regression analysis, in which early attrition was the response variable and the examined correlates were the explanatory variables, and calculated the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Overall, 232 students (85.0%) continued to participate in sports clubs after April of their third year, and 41 students (15.0%) experienced early attrition. Statistically significant correlates for early attrition were weight (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.90-0.98), body mass index (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.74-0.97), experience of injury or disability (OR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.19-0.87), athletic achievement (OR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.13-0.62), and duration of experience of the sport (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.98-1.00). Our findings suggest that the school officers or family members of students should recognize the possibility of early attrition and provide appropriate support if a student experiences early attrition. The athletic level or norms of school sports club activities may differ among other schools and sports clubs; therefore, it is necessary to examine whether our findings are applicable to other schools and sports clubs.

Association of 24-h movement behaviors with phase angle in community-dwelling older adults: a compositional data analysis.

BACKGROUND: Phase angle (PhA) is an indicator of cellular conditions. Recent studies have suggested that PhA supports healthy aging. Identifying modifiable lifestyle factors for PhA is important. The associations of PhA in 24-h movement behaviors, including physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep, have not been studied in older adults. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the cross-sectional associations between 24-h movement behaviors and PhA in community-dwelling older adults while appropriately considering the co-dependent nature of daily time use using compositional data analysis. METHODS: The participants were 113 healthy older adults. PhA was measured using a bioelectrical impedance device. Time spent in light-intensity PA (LPA), moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA), and SB was measured using a tri-axial accelerometer. Sleep duration information was self-reported in a questionnaire. Compositional multiple linear regression and compositional isotemporal substitution were performed to examine the associations of 24-h movement behaviors with PhA and hypothetical time reallocation in movement behaviors with PhA, respectively. RESULTS: Even after adjusting for potential confounders, relative to other behaviors more time spent in MVPA was significantly associated with higher PhA (p < 0.001). The 30 min/day of time reallocation from the other behaviors (SB, LPA, and sleep) to MVPA was predicted to be 0.12 higher PhA (corresponding to 2.3% increase; 95% CI 0.01, 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that increasing or maintaining the daily time spent in MVPA is important for managing PhA in older adults, regardless of the other behaviors time consumed instead.

Effects of home-based manual dexterity training on cognitive function among older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between manual dexterity and cognitive function among older adults is well known; however, few studies have focused on manual dexterity training that confirms cognitive load of training in older adults through functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and verifies the effect of training. This study examined the effects of home-based manual dexterity training on cognitive function in older adults using a digital trail-making peg test device combining two conventional assessment tools namely, the peg and trail-making tests. METHODS: For 12 weeks, 57 healthy older adults aged 65-88 years participated in a parallel-group, randomized controlled trial, wherein home-based manual dexterity training was performed for approximately 20 min daily. To quantify the cognitive load in different manual dexterity conditions, we assessed the cortical activation patterns of the prefrontal cortex via a wearable four-channel fNIRS device. Participants in the control group were asked to continue their usual daily routines during the intervention period. Cognitive function was assessed using the Stroop Color and Word and Cognitive Impairment Tests. Manual dexterity was assessed using the Purdue Pegboard Test. All outcomes were estimated before and after the intervention. RESULTS: We observed significant differences in prefrontal cortical activation between the different manual dexterity conditions. Only the intervention group showed a significant improvement in Stroop interference (169.0-108.9 ms, p = 0.032) and an executive function and assembly task of the Purdue Pegboard Test (22.5-26.4 counts, p < 0.001). Additionally, except the clock drawing task, cognitive function had a larger effect size (Cohen's d) in the intervention group (d = 0.26-0.45) than in the control group (d = 0.11-0.28). CONCLUSIONS: Home-based manual dexterity training can improve performance in a complex manual dexterity task and executive functioning in older adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN-CTR Clinical Trial, UMIN000047203. Registered 17 March 2022 - Retrospectively registered, https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr.cgi?function=brows&action=brows&recptno=R000053844&type=summary&language=E.

On the origin of appetite: GLWamide in jellyfish represents an ancestral satiety neuropeptide.

Food intake is regulated by internal state. This function is mediated by hormones and neuropeptides, which are best characterized in popular model species. However, the evolutionary origins of such feeding-regulating neuropeptides are poorly understood. We used the jellyfish Cladonema to address this question. Our combined transcriptomic, behavioral, and anatomical approaches identified GLWamide as a feeding-suppressing peptide that selectively inhibits tentacle contraction in this jellyfish. In the fruit fly Drosophila, myoinhibitory peptide (MIP) is a related satiety peptide. Surprisingly, we found that GLWamide and MIP were fully interchangeable in these evolutionarily distant species for feeding suppression. Our results suggest that the satiety signaling systems of diverse animals share an ancient origin.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal study of the relationship between phase angle and physical function in older adults.

AIM: Although the validity of the assessment in older adults has been supported by several studies, cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between phase angle (PhA) and physical function by sex have not been clarified. This study aimed to examine (i) cross-sectional relationships and (ii) longitudinal relationships between PhA and physical function in older adults. METHODS: A total of 816 and 445 community-dwelling older adults were included in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, respectively. We evaluated their physical function using grip strength, 5-repetition sit-to-stand test (5-STS), 5-meter habitual walk, Timed Up and Go test (TUG), single-leg balance with eyes open, and sit-and-reach test. A multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer was used to determine the PhA at 50 kHz as well as the participants' body composition. RESULTS: In the cross-sectional analysis, a higher PhA was significantly associated with higher grip strength, sit-and-reach, single-leg balance with eyes open, 5-STS and lower TUG in women, as well as higher grip strength, single-leg balance with eyes open, lower 5-STS and TUG in men, adjusting for age, body mass index and muscle mass. In the longitudinal analysis, there was a significant interaction between PhA and year in the TUG test (B = -0.08; 95% CI, -0.136 to -0.025; P = 0.005) in men. There was no significant interaction between the PhA value and year for the other physical functions. CONCLUSIONS: The PhA is a useful indicator for assessing physical function in both older men and women. Furthermore, the PhA may be able to predict mobility limitation in older men. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 141-147.

Acceptable walking and cycling distances and functional disability and mortality in older Japanese adults: An 8-year follow-up study.

We prospectively investigated the association between acceptable travel distances (i.e., walking and cycling) and the incidence of functional disability and mortality among older Japanese adults. A baseline survey was conducted in 2013 among 7618 individuals aged ≥65 years in Kasama City, Japan, and they were tracked through the city's database until 2021. Acceptable travel distances were assessed using a questionnaire. Outcomes (i.e., functional disability and mortality) were gathered as binary (incident or not) with survival time. A multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional-hazards model indicated that shorter acceptable walking and cycling distances were markedly linked with higher risks of functional disability and mortality. In conclusion, acceptable distances of ≤500 m for walking and ≤1 km for cycling were associated with higher risks of functional disability and mortality among older adults.

Impact of exercising alone and exercising with others on the risk of cognitive impairment among older Japanese adults.

PURPOSE: This longitudinal study investigates the influence of the stratified frequency of exercising alone and exercising with others on the prevention of cognitive impairment among older Japanese adults. METHODS: This four-year follow-up study targeted 4,358 individuals (mean age: 76.9 ± 5.6 years, female: 51.8%) who participated in an inventory mail survey in one region of Japan. The exercise forms surveyed involved the frequency of exercising alone and with others. Cognitive impairment was assessed using the nationally standardized dementia scale proposed by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. Adjusted Cox proportional-hazard models were used to examine the association between the exercise forms and the development of cognitive impairment, and calculate population-attributable fractions (PAFs). RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of cognitive impairment throughout the study was 7.7%. Participants who exercised ≥ 2 times/week alone (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.61-0.998) had a lower risk of developing cognitive impairment than those who did not exercise alone. Similarly, participants who exercised ≥ 2 times/week with others (HR = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.47-0.94) showed a lower risk of developing cognitive impairment than those who did not exercise with others. The scenarios involving PAFs demonstrated that, if all participants exercised alone or with others ≥ 2 times/week, the risk of cognitive impairment decreased by 15.1% and 29.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Both forms of exercise reduced the development of cognitive impairment, with exercising with others potentially being highly effective in preventing cognitive impairment.

Frail Older Adults without Occupational Dysfunction Maintain Good Subjective Well-Being: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to clarify the relationship between frailty/occupational dysfunction (OD), both with and without, and subjective well-being among community-dwelling older adults. A total of 2308 (average age: 72.2 ± 5.1, female: 47.0%) independently living older adults in Kasama City, Japan, completed a self-administered questionnaire in November 2019. OD, frailty, and subjective well-being were assessed. Participants were classified into six groups: robust and healthy occupational function (HOF), robust and OD, pre-frail and HOF, pre-frail and OD, frail and HOF, and frail and OD. To examine the relationship between frailty/OD and subjective well-being, we performed an analysis of variance with subjective well-being as the dependent variable and with and without frailty/OD (six groups) as the independent variables. The results showed a significant association between with and without frailty/OD and subjective well-being in community-dwelling older adults. The subjective well-being of the pre-frail and HOF group was significantly better than that of the robust and OD group. Furthermore, the subjective well-being of the frail and HOF group was significantly better than that of the pre-frail and OD group. These results can be used to develop a new support method for frailty.

[Relationship between performance on the Digital Trail Making Peg test and cognitive function in older adults].

AIM: To determine the relationship between performance on the Digital Trail Making Peg test (DTMP) and cognitive function in older adults. METHODS: A total of 203 community-dwelling older adults (mean age: 76.4±5.1 years old) participated in this study. The five-cog test was used to assess the cognitive function. The DTMP measured completion time, number of errors and intra-individual variability for performance variability (coefficient of variation, CV; inter-elemental variability, IEV). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (ρ) was calculated to examine the association between each variable. In addition, a multiple regression analysis was performed with the cognitive function score as the dependent variable and the DTMP completion time, number of errors, CV, and IEV as the independent variables, with adjusting for the sex, age, years of education, body mass index, medical history, depression, and physical function. RESULTS: The rank correlation coefficients with cognitive function scores were as follows: completion time, ρ = -0.479 (P < 0.01), number of errors, ρ = -0.068 (P = 0.332), CV, ρ = 0.085 (P = 0.225), IEV, ρ = -0.316 (P < 0.01). The results of the multiple regression analysis showed that completion time (ß = -0.566), CV (ß = 0.164), IEV (ß = 2.736) were significantly associated with cognitive function scores. CONCLUSIONS: The shorter the DTMP completion time, the better the overall cognitive function. However, the intra-individual variability of CV and IEV did not show consistent results, with smaller values indicating less intra-individual variability.

Physical Activity Intensity and Suspected Dementia in Older Japanese Adults: A Dose-Response Analysis Based on an 8-Year Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: Moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (PA) may reduce the risk of dementia; however, few studies have examined the effects of PA intensity on dementia risk. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively examine the dose-response relationship of PA intensity with the incidence of suspected dementia in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: We conducted a baseline mail survey with an 8-year follow-up of 3,722 older adults in Japan. We assessed PA levels using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form and calculated the amount of time per week spent performing moderate- and vigorous-intensity PA (VPA). Information regarding suspected dementia was obtained from the city database during the follow-up period. Cox proportional-hazard models with age as time scale, and delayed entry and restricted cubic spline regression as variables were used to estimate risk of developing suspected dementia, excluding cases occurring < 1 year after baseline evaluation. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of suspected dementia during the follow-up period was 12.7%. Compared with those who did not practice moderate-intensity PA (MPA), those who practiced≥300 min (hazard ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval 0.56-0.95) of MPA showed a lower risk of developing suspected dementia. Furthermore, when the dose-response relationship was examined, the hazard of developing suspected dementia decreased almost linearly with MPA. A significantly lower hazard was observed from 815 minutes/week. There was no significant association between VPA and suspected dementia. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that MPA is often practiced in older adults and this PA intensity has a sufficiently favorable effect on dementia prevention.

Pre-frailty associated with traffic crashes in Japanese community-dwelling older drivers.

Objectives: Frailty might be useful to identify older drivers who are at risk for traffic crashes. We aim to examine the association between pre-frailty/frailty defined by the Kihon Checklist (KCL) and the involvement of traffic crashes and clarify whether some domains of the KCL are associated with traffic crashes.Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 2,208 Japanese community-dwelling older drivers aged ≥ 65 years in Kasama City, who participated in our postal survey in November 2019. A self-reported history of traffic crashes was used to divide participants into non-crash-involved and crash-involved groups.Results: A total of 192 (8.7%) participants had been involved in traffic crashes in the past year. The crash-involved group was found to have gained more body mass index, driven more frequently, and scored higher on the total KCL score than the non-crash-involved group (all P < .05). Binary logistic regression analyses showed that after adjusting for age, sex, education, driving frequency, and driving distance, pre-frailty (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.10-2.10) was more significantly associated with traffic crashes as compared to robustness. Those who had impairment in the oral domain (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.09-2.27) and memory domain (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.01-1.90) were also more likely to be involved in traffic crashes.Conclusion: The results suggest that identifying pre-frailty may play an important pole in crash prevention. Additionally, more attention should be given to older drivers with oral dysfunction and cognitive impairment.

Combined effect of daily physical activity and social relationships on sleep disorder among older adults: cross-sectional and longitudinal study based on data from the Kasama study.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated whether daily physical activity of older adults, combined with social relationships, is associated with the risk of sleep disorder. Further, it determined whether a high level of one variable with a low level of the other, leads to a significantly lower risk of sleep disorder than low levels of both. METHODS: The sample comprised 1339 community-dwelling older Japanese adults: 988 in Study 1 and 351 in Study 2. The level of daily physical activity and range of social relationships were assessed using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly and the Lubben Social Network Scale, respectively. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to assess sleep disorder. To test the combined relationships and effects in Studies 1 and 2, the medians for the respective scores of each of the following four groups that the participants were categorized into, were calculated: (1) low activity group with low social relationships, (2) low activity group with high social relationships, (3) high activity group with low social relationships, and (4) high activity group with high social relationships. After adjusting for potential confounders, a logistic regression analysis was conducted in Study 1. After adjusting for potential confounders, a Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was conducted in Study 2. RESULTS: Study 1 revealed that the high activity group with high social relationships showed a significantly lower risk of sleep disorder (ORs: 0.585, 95% CI: 0.404-0.847) than the low activity group with low social relationships. Study 2 also revealed that the high activity group with high social relationships showed a significantly lower prevalence of sleep disorder (HRs: 0.564, 95% CI: 0.327-0.974) than the low activity group with low social relationships. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that for older adults with high social relationships, being physically active is favorably associated with sleep quality. However, a high level of one variable with a low level of the other has not been confirmed in improving sleep quality among older adults.

Association between Occupational Dysfunction and Social Isolation in Japanese Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

We clarified the relationship between occupational dysfunction and social isolation among community-dwelling adults. We used a self-administered questionnaire with a cross-sectional study for 2879 independently living older adults in Kasama City, Japan. Participants responded to a self-reported questionnaire in November 2019. Occupational dysfunction and social isolation were assessed. The participants were classified into two groups: healthy occupational function group, and occupational dysfunction group. To examine the relationship between occupational dysfunction and social isolation, we performed a logistic regression analysis with social isolation as a dependent variable and occupational dysfunction as an independent variable. In the crude model, the occupational dysfunction group had a higher risk of social isolation than the healthy occupational function group (odds ratio (OR) = 2.04; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.63-2.55; p < 0.001). In the adjusted model, the occupational dysfunction group had a higher risk of social isolation than the healthy occupational function group (OR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.17-1.94; p = 0.001). The results showed that occupational dysfunction was significantly associated with social isolation. These results can be used in constructing a support method for social isolation from a new perspective.

Associations between exercising in a group and physical and cognitive functions in community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study using data from the Kasama Study.

[Purpose] To examine the associations of exercise habits, particularly exercising in a group, with physical and cognitive functions in community-dwelling older adults. [Participants and Methods] A total of 615 older adults participated in this cross-sectional study. We conducted three physical performance tests (grip strength, five times sit-to-stand, and 5-meter walk tests) and the Five-Cog test (attention, memory, visuospatial, language, and reasoning). We investigated exercise habits using questionnaires and classified the participants into three groups as follows: those who did not exercise (n=86), those who exercised alone (n=168), and those who exercised in a group (n=362). To clarify the associations of exercise habits with physical and cognitive functions, we used the analysis of covariance with adjustment for potential confounders. [Results] The participants who exercised in a group had better lower limb strength than those who exercised alone and better scores for all the variables than the non-exercisers. Furthermore, those who exercised in a group scored significantly higher on the attention, memory, visuospatial, and overall cognitive function tests than those who exercised alone. [Conclusion] Our results highlight the importance of the social aspects associated with exercising, such as the presence of exercise peers, to improve the physical and cognitive health of older adults.