The changing of physique and physical fitness with age and its sex-difference in elderly people

A study was performed to examine sex and age differences in physique and physical fitness and the sex differences in the change of these parameters with age, and to clarify the relationship between the amount of exercise and fundamental physical fitness in 326 healthy elderly individuals over 60 years of age. A total of 22 variables consisting of 9 items concerning body linearity, quantitative growth, circumference growth and posture, and 13 items representing 4 domains (muscular, joint, neural, and cardiorespiratory functions) were selected. The exercise performance index (EPI) was calculated as the product of frequency and duration (yr) of exercise. The sex and age differences in physique and physical fitness were examined using two-way ANOVA(sex X age group). Post hoc tests using Ryan's procedure were carried out when the main effect of these factors proved significant. To examine the characteristics of changes in physique and physical fitness with age, Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated, and linear regression analysis [test item was the dependent variable (X) and age was the independent variable (Y)] was applied. Then significant differences in the regression coefficient and intercept between males and females were examined. Furthermore, curved-line regression analysis was executed for the above variables. Applying principal component analysis for 13 physical fitness items, the first principal component was interpreted as fundamental physical fitness for performance, and the above analysis was applied to the fundamental physical fitness score (FPS). To examine the relationship between EPI and FPS, the difference in FPS among the three EPI groups was examined using analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA) with age as the co-variable. The main findings of this study can be summarized as follows. 1. With regard to physique, males showed greater body linearity, and females had more skinfold. Sex differences in circumference growth were not as significant as those in body linearity and quantitative growth. Changes in physique with age were greater in females than in males, the change becoming obvious in individuals over 80 years of age. 2. With regard to physical fitness, males had superior muscular function and vital capacity, while females outperformed males in standing-reach. However, there was little sex difference in neural function. The trend for deterioration in physical fitness with age differed between the sexes among 4 domains of physical fitness. For example, in males muscular, neural, and joint functions deterioration significantly with age, while in females, all physical fitness variable did so. In addition, the age-related trends of deterioration in muscular function(grip strength and vertical jump), cardiorespiratory function(duration of breath-holding and vital capacity), and neural function (stepping) were differed between the sexes. 3. The FPS was higher in males than in females. However, FPS decreased significantly with age in both sexes. 4. It was inferred that among active and healthy elderly males and females who exercised regularly, FPS was not influenced by EPI.