Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea.
The Korean Institute of Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea.
Front Public Health. 2024 Jul 19;12:1364908. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1364908. eCollection 2024.
With a growing aging population, the focus on the health and well-being of older adults, especially in preventing falls, becomes crucial. This 3 month study, initiated in July 2022, aimed to assess the impact of a nutrition and exercise program in senior daycare centers in Chuncheon, South Korea.
A 3 month study, beginning in July 2022, included 204 older adults from 10 senior daycare centers in Chuncheon, South Korea. Randomly assigned to intervention or control groups, the intervention involved nutrition, daily toe exercises, or both. Control centers received interventions post-measurements. Pre- and post-intervention analyses used paired t-tests and multiple linear regression, assessing metrics like toe grip strength for significance. While 204 were initially enrolled, the analysis included 151 participants due to dropouts.
Participants, with a mean age of 83.3 years (43.1% aged ≥ 85 years), exhibited mild to moderate cognitive impairment and multiple chronic illnesses. Health data indicated that 37.3% were obese, and the average BMI was 24.0 kg/m. Both the intervention and control groups showed significant improvements in toe grip strength post-intervention. Specifically, the exercise-only and combined exercise-nutrition groups demonstrated significant differences in hallux strength compared to the control group after adjusting for age and gender.
The study showed that a basic nutrition and exercise program increased toe strength in older adults with chronic diseases, including mild cognitive impairments. This intervention holds potential to prevent muscle strength decline and reduce fall risks in older individuals. As the first of its kind in Korean senior daycare centers, it emphasizes the need for future research and standardized programs for senior daycare users.
随着人口老龄化的增长，关注老年人的健康和福祉，尤其是预防跌倒，变得至关重要。本研究始于 2022 年 7 月，旨在评估营养和运动方案对韩国春川市老年人日托中心的影响。
本研究始于 2022 年 7 月，纳入了韩国春川市 10 个老年人日托中心的 204 名老年人。将参与者随机分为干预组和对照组，干预组接受营养、每日脚趾运动或两者结合的干预，对照组在测量后接受干预。使用配对 t 检验和多元线性回归对干预前后的分析，评估脚趾握力等指标的显著性。虽然最初有 204 名参与者，但由于脱落，分析纳入了 151 名参与者。
参与者的平均年龄为 83.3 岁（43.1%年龄≥85 岁），存在轻度至中度认知障碍和多种慢性病。健康数据显示，37.3%的参与者肥胖，平均 BMI 为 24.0kg/m2。干预组和对照组在干预后脚趾握力均显著提高。具体来说，在调整年龄和性别后，仅进行运动和结合运动-营养的组与对照组相比，大脚趾力量有显著差异。
该研究表明，基本的营养和运动方案可增加患有慢性病（包括轻度认知障碍）的老年人的脚趾力量。这种干预措施有可能预防肌肉力量下降并降低老年人跌倒的风险。作为韩国老年人日托中心的首例研究，它强调了未来研究和标准化方案对老年人日托使用者的必要性。
