| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
TAKESHIMA Nobuo Institute of Natural Sciences, Nagoya City University, Assistant Professor, 自然科学研究教育センター, 助教授 (00137126)
NISHIJIMA Takahiko University of Tsukuba, Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, Professor, 体育科学系, 講師 (50202239)
KIM Hunkyung Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Research Scientist., 究所, 研究員 (20282345)
NAKAGAICHI Masaki University of Tsukuba, Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, Research Associate, 体育科学系, 助手 (10312836)
NAKADOMO Fumio Osaka Prefectural College of Nursing, Professor, 教授 (50079125)
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| Research Abstract |
In our research project, we initially assumed that (1) physical health or physical vitality, (2) mental health or mental vitality, (3) economic status, and (4) "other" variables constitute important dimensions of overall quality of life (QoL). Physical vitality is evaluated by vital age, functional fitness (or activities of daily living) age, etc., while mental vitality can be evaluated by life satisfaction index, subjective QoL index, stress index, etc. The "other" variables consist of food intake, nutritional status, body composition, social environment, etc. Thus, overall QoL is a multi-dimensional characteristic for healthy, independent living and may be used as a good indicator for successful aging. Ample epidemiologic evidence suggests that exercise plays an important role in the maintenance of health-related QoL. On the assumption that regular engagement in exercise or physical activities extends the healthy lifespan of Japanese adults, we have developed a number of health-related QoL indices specifically aimed at older people. Those health-related QoL indices consist of vital age, functional fitness age, bone mineral content, bone-free and fat-free lean tissue mass, cardiorespiratory fitness, food and nutritional status, life satisfaction, and resistivity against stress. Many of the above factors in each dimension were formulated as a composite indicator to enable us to compute a score for each individual. Overall QoL can be evaluated by combining the individual item scores. Usefulness of the overall QoL score will be further examined in more detail.
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