Publications by authors named "Yu Nofuji"
Aim: This study examined the short-term effects of participation in Kayoi-no-ba - community gathering places for residents to contribute to care prevention with the support of volunteers in Japan - on frailty status during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, based on a 1-year longitudinal study of older adults.
Methods: Participants (n = 3899) were aged ≥65 years. At baseline, they were classified into four groups, based on their frequency of participation in Kayoi-no-ba before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: the nonparticipation group, the continued participation group, the interrupted participation group and the new participation group.
Background: We launched the Wako Cohort Study in 2023 to identify individual and socio-environmental factors related to the extension of healthy life expectancy and the reduction of health disparities among community-dwelling adults and to develop health promotion and care prevention strategies. This study profile aims to describe the study design and participants' profile at baseline.
Methods: The Wako Cohort Study is a prospective study of community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 40 years living in Wako City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan.
Objective: To examine the associations of accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary time with all-cause mortality in older Japanese adults.
Methods: A total of 1723 independent Japanese adults aged ≥65 years were followed from 2011 to 2021. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), light physical activity (LPA) and sedentary time were measured using a triaxial accelerometer secured to participants' waists.
Article Synopsis
- * In a 10-year study of 1,597 Japanese adults aged 65 and older who were free of dementia and disability at the start, 488 participants developed functional disabilities.
- * The research highlighted a significant interaction between cognitive impairment and physical frailty, suggesting that addressing cognitive frailty could be crucial in preventing functional disabilities among the elderly.
Article Synopsis
- The Saitama Prefecture Silver Human Resources Center Federation and Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology launched a frailty prevention class business model in 2018, aiming to compensate SHRC members for operating the classes.
- A survey of 58 SHRCs showed that 74.1% participated in the training for supporters, and 58.6% implemented the project.
- Of those implementing, 39.7% offered rewards for supporters, and 75% of those who started the project by 2021 continued for over two years, facing challenges in initiation and management.
[Cut-off point of the risk assessment scale for the 9-year risk of functional disability].
Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi
October 2024
Objectives This study aimed to examine the cut-off point of the Risk Assessment Scale (RAS) for predicting the 9-year risk of functional disability among older Japanese adults.Methods This prospective, 9-year follow-up study used data from the Sasaguri Genkimon Study in Fukuoka. Of the 2,629 older adults who did not have functional disabilities and participated in the baseline survey in 2011, 2,254 with complete data were included in the analysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Evidence regarding the dose-response curve shapes of physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) in older adults with functional disability (FD) is extremely limited. Moreover, these associations may differ depending on with/without frailty. We examined the dose-response associations between moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and ST with FD among older adults with/without frailty.
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- In 2019, Japan's Ministry of Health highlighted the need for "Kayoi-no-ba" initiatives, but did not offer specific guidance or evaluation methods for local governments to implement these initiatives effectively.
- Researchers created a framework called "ACT-RECIPE," consisting of six evaluation phases: understanding needs, assessing current status, building teams, implementing initiatives, evaluating results, and making adjustments.
- The final framework was tested in 50 municipalities in Tokyo to score the effectiveness of their "Kayoi-no-ba" initiatives and analyze their correlation with the number of such initiatives available per 1,000 older residents.
Aim: This study aimed to examine the relationships between levels of competence and impaired physical and cognitive functions in older adults.
Methods: We used a data set of the Integrated Longitudinal Studies on Aging in Japan for 2017 including 5475 community-dwelling older adults. Levels of competence were assessed using the Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence (JST-IC).
Aim: To examine the effects of employment engagement, classified by frailty and working status, on the incidence of disability in urban community-dwelling older adults.
Methods: We used data from 6386 initially nondisabled residents aged 65-84 years from Ota City, Tokyo, Japan, in 2016. The observation duration was 3.
Background: The associations of sedentary time and patterns with functional disability among older adults remain unclear, and few studies have accounted for the co-dependency of sedentary behavior and physical activities when modeling sedentary behavior with risk of functional disability. We aimed to examine the associations between sedentary time and patterns and risk of incident functional disability, and assess whether replacing sedentary time with light physical activity (LPA) or moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) is associated with reduced risk of functional disability in community-dwelling older adults.
Methods: A total of 1,687 Japanese adults aged ≥ 65 years without functional disability at baseline were prospectively followed-up for 9 years (2011-2020).
Background: To examine longitudinal changes in accelerometer-measured moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and associated factors of changes in MVPA among community-dwelling older Japanese men and women over 2 years of follow-up.
Methods: In total, 601 participants (72.2 [5.
Association of dietary variety with the risk for dementia: the Yabu cohort study.
Public Health Nutr
November 2023
Article Synopsis
- - This study investigates the link between dietary variety and the risk of disabling dementia in older Japanese adults using a Dietary Variety Score (DVS) based on ten food components.
- - Conducted over a 6.8-year follow-up with 4972 participants, the study found that those with higher dietary variety (5-10 points on the DVS) had a significantly lower incidence of disabling dementia compared to those with the lowest variety (0-2 points).
- - The findings suggest that promoting a diverse diet could be an effective public health strategy to reduce dementia risk in older populations.
Preventing frailty is crucial in aging societies. We examined the effectiveness of a community-based frailty-prevention program for delaying the onset of functional disability among community-dwelling older adults. From 2014 to 2019, 48 community-based frailty prevention classes (FPC, 60 min/session, once a week), comprising resistance exercise and nutritional or psychosocial programs, were established in Yabu City, Japan.
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- Healthy behaviours, such as regular exercise, good eating habits, and social participation, are linked to a lower risk of disability in older adults.
- The study analyzed data from 1,357 seniors aged 65 and over, finding that those who engaged in all healthy behaviours had a 31% lower risk of incident disabilities compared to those who practiced just one.
- However, issues like smoking and depression were barriers to adopting these healthy behaviours, highlighting the need for strategies that promote multiple aspects of a healthy lifestyle among older individuals.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates the relationship between physical activity (PA) levels and sitting time with all-cause mortality in older adults (aged 65-84) in Japan, addressing a gap in research on this population.
- - Among the 8,069 participants, higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were linked to a significant decrease in mortality risk during a 4.1-year follow-up, with maximum benefits observed at approximately 3,000-4,500 metabolic equivalents (METs)·minutes/week.
- - No significant link was found between sitting time and mortality, highlighting the importance of promoting even small increases in physical activity to reduce mortality risk among older adults.
Article Synopsis
- The study examined the link between urinary sodium/potassium (Na/K) ratio and hypertension in older adults, finding a significant association with systolic blood pressure and several demographic factors.
- It involved 684 participants from Kusatsu, Japan, and revealed that dietary habits, especially milk, fruit, and vegetable consumption, impacted the Na/K ratio.
- Results suggest that nutritional education could play a vital role in managing hypertension among older adults by influencing their dietary choices.
Objectives: Multicomponent interventions reduce falls among community-dwelling older adults. However, whether this strategy helps reduce occupational falls among older workers is unclear. This pilot trial tested the safety, adherence, and potential effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention for older workers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: To investigate the association between the total score of the Kihon checklist (t-KCL score) and functional disability over an 8-year follow-up period, and to examine whether the t-KCL score in the basic model with risk factors contributes to the incremental predictive ability for functional disability among older adults.
Methods: We followed 2209 older adults aged ≥65 years without functional disability at baseline. The t-KCL score was determined using a baseline survey questionnaire.
Article Synopsis
- The study developed a modified Dietary Variety Score (MDVS) to better assess the food intake variety of older Japanese adults, since the original Dietary Variety Score (DVS) has not been updated since the 1990s.
- A cross-sectional study involved 357 adults aged 65 and older, using food consumption data to compare the original DVS with the new MDVS.
- Results showed that the MDVS was positively correlated with important dietary indicators, suggesting it may provide a more accurate reflection of current dietary habits in this population.
The role of personality in determining the association between social participation and mental health was examined by a cross-sectional study. We analyzed data from 4981 older adults aged 65-84 years who were recruited via a mail survey in one region of Japan. We defined poor mental health using a score ≤12 points on the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index-Japanese.
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