Physical activity and recurrent fall risk in community-dwelling Japanese people aged 40-74 years: the Murakami cohort study

Shoto Kamimura; Takashi Iida; Yumi Watanabe; Kaori Kitamura; Keiko Kabasawa; Akemi Takahashi; Toshiko Saito; Ryosaku Kobayashi; Rieko Oshiki; Ribeka Takachi; Shoichiro Tsugane; Masayuki Iki; Ayako Sasaki; Osamu Yamazaki; Kei Watanabe; Kazutoshi Nakamura

doi:10.1186/s11556-022-00300-5

Physical activity and recurrent fall risk in community-dwelling Japanese people aged 40-74 years: the Murakami cohort study

Eur Rev Aging Phys Act. 2022 Sep 2;19(1):20. doi: 10.1186/s11556-022-00300-5.

Authors

Shoto Kamimura^#¹, Takashi Iida^#¹, Yumi Watanabe², Kaori Kitamura², Keiko Kabasawa³, Akemi Takahashi⁴, Toshiko Saito⁵, Ryosaku Kobayashi⁴, Rieko Oshiki⁴, Ribeka Takachi⁶, Shoichiro Tsugane⁷, Masayuki Iki⁸, Ayako Sasaki⁹, Osamu Yamazaki¹⁰, Kei Watanabe¹¹, Kazutoshi Nakamura¹²

Affiliations

¹ Niigata University School of Medicine, Niigata, Japan.
² Division of Preventive Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
³ Department of Health Promotion Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
⁴ Department of Rehabilitation, Niigata University of Rehabilitation, Niigata, Japan.
⁵ Department of Health and Nutrition, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan.
⁶ Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Nara Women's University Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Nara, Japan.
⁷ National Institute of Health and Nutrition, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan.
⁸ Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka, Japan.
⁹ Murakami Public Health Center, Niigata, Japan.
¹⁰ Niigata Prefectural Government, Niigata, Japan.
¹¹ Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
¹² Division of Preventive Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan. kazun@med.niigata-u.ac.jp.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Falls are important causes of injury and mortality in older people, and associated medical costs can be enormous. Physical activity (PA) is a potential preventive factor for falls. However, few studies have examined the effect of different types of PA on fall prevention. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PA levels and the incidence of recurrent falls by type of PA in middle-aged and older people.

Methods: This cohort study targeted 7,561 community-dwelling individuals aged 40-74 years who did not experience recurrent falls in the year before baseline. Information on PA levels, demographics, body size, lifestyle, and fall/disease history was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire in the baseline survey. Levels of total PA, leisure-time PA, and non-leisure-time PA (occupation, commuting, and housework) were estimated using metabolic equivalent (MET) scores (MET-h/day; hours spent on a given activity per day multiplied by its MET intensity). PA levels were categorized into four groups. Falls were recorded as none, once, or twice or more (recurrent falls). The outcome of the study was the incidence of recurrent falls in the past year before a survey conducted 5 years after the baseline survey. Logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate odds ratios for recurrent falls.

Results: Higher total PA and non-leisure-time PA levels were associated with a higher risk of recurrent falls (P for trend = 0.0002 and 0.0001, respectively), with the highest total PA and non-leisure-time PA groups having a significantly higher adjusted OR (1.96 [95%CI:1.33-2.88] and 2.15 [95%CI:1.48-3.14], respectively) relative to the lowest group (reference). As for leisure-time PA, the medium group had a significantly lower adjusted OR (0.70 [95%CI:0.49-0.99]) relative to the reference group. By sex, the adjusted OR in the medium leisure-time PA group was significantly lower relative to the reference group in women (0.50 [95%CI: 0.29-0.85]) but not in men.

Conclusions: Medium level leisure-time PA reduces the risk of recurrent falls in middle-aged and older people, whereas higher level non-leisure-time PA is associated with a higher risk of recurrent falls.

Keywords: Cohort studies; Falls; Leisure activities; Physical activity; Risk factor.

Abstract

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