Non-Japanese, Japanese and Japanese descendant older adults in the Health, Wellbeing and Aging Study: functional and health conditions.

Introduction: The city of São Paulo has the largest community of Japanese descendants outside of Japan.

Objectives: To compare the demographic, economic, functional, and health conditions of non-Japanese, Japanese, and their descendants; and to analyze comparatively the functional and health conditions of older adults born in Japan and their descendants born in Brazil.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the city of São Paulo, in 2010, with 1,345 older adults (≥ 60 years) participants in the SABE Study (Health, Welfare and Aging).