Relationships of fundamental physical fitness and health-conditions, activities of daily living, and food habits in elderly women

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of fundamental physical fitness (FPF) and health-conditions, activities of daily living, and food habits in elderly women. A total of 338 women aged 60 to 89 years were the subjects for this study. Fourteen tests were selected from 4 physical fitness domains of muscle function, joint function (flexibility), neuromuscular function and lung function, considering the validity, safety and convenience of tests. To measure the above-stated living conditions, a questionnaire consisting of 30 items was constructed. Principal component analysis was applied to the correlation matrix, which was calculated from physical fitness variables. The first principal component could be interpreted as the FPF factor, since it correlated significantly with all physical fitness variables and showed the greatest contribution (about 36%) to total variance. Statistical techniques of contingency coefficient and theory of quantification I were used to determine the influence of the above-stated living conditions to FPF. It was inferred that each living condition influences FPF as a composite factor, and the elements of exercise habit, the existence of the trouble caused by past disease and injury, bedtime and age have greater influence on the decline of FPF. Fundamental physical fitness showed a decreasing trend with age, but the continuous exercise enforcement on one day or more a week, seemed to be effective in postponing the decline of FPF related to age. Further, it was inferred that influence of each living condition to FPF differs in the 60 and 70 age levels.