Abstract
Objective: As population aging has been advancing in Japan in recent years, measures against the development of locomotive syndrome have been emphasized. Our healthcare center initiated health screening for patients with locomotive syndrome as an option in their health examination. During this screening, a health and fitness instructor conducts tests to evaluate the risk of locomotive syndrome, explains the results, and provides exercise guidance. Relatively healthy individuals with few elderly adults undergo this screening. The significance of screening such a population for locomotive syndrome has not been fully clarified. However, the measures against metabolic syndrome (MetS) constitute an important issue. It is expected that the test to evaluate the risk of locomotive syndrome may be a useful trigger for behavioral changes. This study aimed to clarify the significance of screening for locomotive syndrome as part of the comprehensive health checkup.
Methods: A total of 941 subjects aged 65 years or older who underwent screening for locomotive syndrome were included in a multiple regression analysis. In the analysis, the results of the test to evaluate the locomotive syndrome risk were regarded as objective variables. F-test and chi-squared test were conducted to assess the test results. Furthermore, changes in the test results of subjects who underwent screening in the second consecutive year and changes in each test conducted to evaluate the locomotive syndrome risk were examined.
Results: More than 60% of the subjects aged 65 years or older who underwent screening were diagnosed with locomotive syndrome. The factors associated with the development of locomotive syndrome included sex, age, and abdominal circumference. Increases in age, body-mass index (BMI), and abdominal circumference were associated with the development of locomotive syndrome. BMI of 25 kg/m2 or higher and excessive abdominal circumference were associated with MetS and locomotive syndrome, respectively. Improvements were observed in subjects who underwent screening in the second consecutive year.
Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that screening for locomotive syndrome, which comprises a test to evaluate the locomotive syndrome risk and exercise guidance as part of the comprehensive health checkup at our healthcare center, is a useful trigger for behavioral changes.
