Toimintakykyisyys, terveydentila ja elämäntyyli 71-75-vuotiailla miehillä

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the functional capacity of men aged 7l-75 years and to examine the connections between different areas of functional capacity. The most important of these factors were socio-economic status, health status and life-style. The basic population consisted of men resident in the city of Jyväskylä and born between 1906 and 1910; at the time that the study carried out, they were 7l to 75 years of age. The final sample included 176 men, of whom 119 (68 %) participated both in the postal questionnaire and in laboratory examinations. Maximal oxygen uptake was measured using the direct and indirect method. Maximal oxygen uptake was 2l.6 ml x kgֿ ¹ x minֿ ¹ (direct method) and 24.6 ml x kgֿ ¹ x minֿ ¹ (indirect method). Maximal isometric strength was measured in five different ways: hand grip, leg extension, arm flexion, body flexion and body extension. The means of the measures were 432 N, 366 N, 285 N, 507 N and 648 N. Sensory functions (hearing, vision and vibration sensitivity) deteriorated with age. The results here suggested that age differences are greater in speech understanding than in the pure-tone thresholds. The results concerning psychomotoric and cognitive functions showed considerable interindividual variation. One of the most important findings of this study was that congnitive capacity played a key role as a determinant of other dimensions of psycho-physical capacity. Health status was not an important determinant of psycho-physical capacity. The model describing the connections between psycho-physical capacity and life-style indicated that variables of physical exercise \ryere connected to physical capacity (measurements of isometric strength). An important task for future studies of the functional capacity of elderly people is the development of new methods complementing ADL-measurements.