To investigate the significance of the measurement of adiposity in medical examinations, the relationship between body fat to whole body weight ratio (%FAT ; Tanita BF 102) and cardiovascular risk factors (CRF) were studied in 328 young to middle aged men (young-middle age group ; aged 19-60, mean 50.0±9.0 years) and 329 aged men (old age group ; aged 61-92, mean 69.1±5.9 years) in two agricultural communities in Hokkaido, Japan. The examination was performed in early mornings, after a fasting state for 12 hours, in the summer of 1993. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), β-lipoprotein (BLP) and HDL cholesterol (HDL) were measured as CRF.
In the young-middle age group, %FAT showed a significantly positive correlation with SBP, DBP, FPG, TC, TG and BLP, and negative correlation with HDL. Levels of SBP, DBP, FPG, TC, TG and BLP were significantly higher in the high-%FAT group, whose %FAT were mean+ standard deviation (SD) and more, than those in the normal-%FAT gruop whose %FAT were less than mean+ SD, while HDL was significantly lower in the high-%FAT group. On the other hand, in the old age group, %FATwas significantly correlated with CRF except for SBP. However, comparison of levels of CRF between the high-and normal-%FAT groups showed that only BLP significantly higher in the high-%FAT group, and only HDL was significantly lower in the high-%FAT group. Multiple regression analysis for %FAT showed that TC, FPG and SBP were positive indicators in the young-middle age group, and that TC and FPG were positive indicators in the old age group.
From these results, we concluded that %FAT is closely related to CRF and is a useful measure for the prevention of atherosclerotic disease, especially in young to middle aged men.

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The relationship between blood pressure and ADL in elderly people was studied in residents of a nursing home (22 men and 78 women, 85 ± 7 y.o.). We analyzed clinical data and evaluated the ADL at the time of admission to the nursing home and after 1.7 ± 0.4 years. The subjects stayed in the nursing home throughout the follow-up period. The evaluation of ADL was based on Barthel index and ADL20 which was developed especially for elderly people (Jpn J Geriat 29 ; 841, 1992). At entry, blood pressure (BP) was 132±19/75±12 mmHg and ADL scores were 61.2 ± 33.1 by Barthel index (full score : 100) and 24.9±10.9 by ADL₂₀ (full score : 39). Results showed that the higher the BP, the lower were ADL scores, in subjects without history of stroke or fracture. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that higher systolic BP and advanced age were independent factors that relate to impaired ADL. Antihypertensive therapy did not affect ADL scores. During the follow-up period, the ADL scores significantly deteriorated to 48.2±33.3 by Barthel index and 16.8±11.6 by ADL₂₀. BP level at entry did not predict the extent of the deterioration. Instead, the length of the follow-up period significantly correlated with the magnitude of deterioration of ADL.

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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