The frailty, characterized by reduced physiological function is closely related to a fall, disability, institutionalization, hospitalization, and mortality in the elderly. A reduced physical fitness is a major phenotype of the frailty. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among pre-frailty, physical activity (PA) and functional fitness in the community dwelling elderly women. The study participants were elderly women (n=338, 70.6±4.2years) aged over 65 who took part in the Korean Healthy Fitness Criteria study for the National Fitness Award Project in 2015. The pre-frailty was defined using the Cardiovascular Health Study frailty criteria. PA was assessed using the International PA Questionnaire (IPAQ). The participants were classified as regular PA participants if they meet the World Health Organization (WHO) PA recommendation for the elderly. Functional fitness was assessed using the composite of the National Fitness Award fitness testing for the elderly. Quality of life was evaluated using EuroQoL visual analogue scale and WHO quality of life assessment. As the results, the pre-frail elderly women were significantly older and obese (body mass index, percent body fat, waist circumference) than the healthy elderly. The pre-frail elderly presented significant decreases in walking, moderate intensity, and total PA compared to the healthy elderly even after adjusted for age and percent body fat. However, no significant difference was found in vigorous-intensity activity between the pre-frail and healthy elderly. Also, the pre-frail elderly women showed the decrease in functional fitness and quality of life compared to the healthy elderly. Regular PA was associated with high levels of muscular endurance and coordination in healthy and pre-frail elderly. In pre-frail elderly, high levels of cardiorespiratory endurance was associated with PA. In conclusion, regular PA is inversely associated with fitness decline in healthy and pre-frail community-dwelling elderly women. Regular PA might attenuate fitness decline in pre-frail elderly women.
PURPOSE This study aims to investigate the problems posed by the new “Health Exercise Managers” qualification system implemented in 2015 and suggest a reformation plan for the qualification definition, written test, and practical–oral test. METHODS Eleven experts working in the academia and the exercise prescription field were selected as research participants using purposive sampling method (professors=5, director of sport science division in national research and development institute=1, head of national/private organization that issue Health Exercise Managers certificates=2, and health exercise managers working at university hospitals =3). The results were collected, examined and classified following numerous discussions among the authors. RESULTS First, the qualification definition should be based on “course completion” in the short term and “department certification” in the long term. Second, the written test can be reformed by identifying the core courses related to health exercise management and merging similar or overlapped courses. Also, the grades should be calculated for each question based on the knowledge gained in related courses. Third, the practical–oral test questions should be publicly available in advance to help candidates better prepare and learn practical skills, rather than set the standards for elimination. CONCLUSIONS An overall reformation of the qualification definition, written test, and practical–oral test will solve the problems posed on the quality of the “health exercise managers” qualification system.
