A research group led by Postdoctoral Researcher Hiroki Tabata, Senior Associate Professor Yoshifumi Tamura, Specially Appointed Professor Ryuzo Kawamori, and Professor Hirotaka Watada at the Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine's Sportology Center has investigated exercise habits in both junior and senior high school age and older age. found that the risk of sarcopenia, which causes physical disability due to decreased skeletal muscle function, is reduced in elderly people with
The research group measured the skeletal muscle mass, grip strength, and maximum walking speed of 1,607 elderly people (679 men and 928 women) in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, and analyzed their exercise habits.
As a result, among males, the prevalence of sarcopenia was 0.29 times higher, the prevalence of muscle mass decline was 0.21 times higher, and muscle strength was 0.52 times higher in males who exercised both in junior high school/high school and in old age than those who did not exercise in both periods.・The prevalence of decreased physical function was 0.53 times lower.Females showed no difference in the prevalence of sarcopenia, but had a XNUMX-fold lower prevalence of muscle strength and physical weakness.
It is believed that skeletal muscle function peaks at the age of 20 to 25 and begins to decline around the age of 50.The research group believes that exercising during junior and senior high school age increases peak skeletal muscle mass, and that exercise in older age is effective in preventing sarcopenia.
Sarcopenia restricts the activities of daily living and causes various adverse effects such as falls and bone fractures that lead to the need for long-term care.Compared to Westerners, Asians have less natural skeletal muscle mass and are more likely to develop sarcopenia.
Paper information:[Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle] Effects of Exercise Habits in Adolescence and Older Age on Sarcopenia Risk in Older Adults: The Bunkyo Health Study
