Association between Walking Habit and Physical Frailty among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether older adults who practice walking have a lower risk of physical frailty than those who do not. The study subjects were 846 older adults and were not certified as needing support or nursing care. The subjects were classified as being physically frail or pre-frail or being robust, according to the revision of the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria. We classified the subjects by questionnaire into a no-exercise group, walking-only group, walking plus other exercise group, and exercise other than walking group. In logistic regression analyses, the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were shown. Compared to the no-exercise group, the OR (95%CI) for physical frailty was 0.85 (0.48–1.49) for the walking-only group, 0.54 (0.36–0.83) for the walking plus other exercise group, and 0.67 (0.47–0.97) for the exercise other than walking group. In the components of physical frailty, the walking plus other exercise group and the exercise other than group had significantly lower ORs for exhaustion. Older adults who only practiced walking as an exercise do not have lower risks of physical frailty and pre-frailty. Older adults who combine walking with other exercises or practice non-walking exercises have lower risks of them.