Asian Nurs Res.  2015 Sep;9(3):251-258. 10.1016/j.anr.2015.05.006.

Lifestyle and Genetic Predictors of Stiffness Index in Community-dwelling Elderly Korean Men and Women

• Park KA
• Park YH
• Suh MH
• Choi-Kwon

• KMID: 2344324
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.anr.2015.05.006

Abstract

PURPOSE
Differing lifestyle, nutritional, and genetic factors may lead to a differing stiffness index (SI) determined by quantitative ultrasound in elderly men and women. The purpose of this study was to determine SI and the gender-specific factors associated with low SI in a Korean elderly cohort.
METHODS
This was a cross-sectional descriptive study identifying the gender-specific factors related to SI in 252 men and women aged 65 years and greater from local senior centers in Seoul, Korea between January and February 2009.
RESULTS
The mean SI of elderly men was significantly higher than that of the women's. A multiple regression analysis reveals that age, nutritional status, and physical activity were predictive factors of lower SI in men, whereas age, alcohol consumption, educational level, and genetic polymorphism were predictive factors for elderly women.
CONCLUSIONS
Low SI was common in both elderly men and women. We found gender differences in factors linked to low SI. In multiple regression analysis, nutritional status and physical activity were more important factors in men, whereas alcohol consumption, educational level, and genetic polymorphism were significant factors predicting low SI in women. Gender-specific modifiable risk factors associated with low SI should be considered when developing osteoporosis prevention programs for the elderly.

Keyword

aged; bone density; gender; genetic polymorphisms; motor activity

MeSH Terms

Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology
Calcaneus/*ultrasonography
Cross-Sectional Studies
Educational Status
Female
Humans
Life Style
Male
Motor Activity/physiology
Nutritional Status
Polymorphism, Genetic
Regression Analysis
Risk Factors
Seoul/epidemiology
Sex Factors