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Metabolic Cost of Daily Activities and Effect of Mobility Impairment in Older Adults
Author(s) -
Knaggs Jeffrey D.,
Larkin Kelly A.,
Manini Todd M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03655.x
Subject(s) - medicine , metabolic equivalent , normative , stairs , activities of daily living , stair climbing , gerontology , observational study , physical therapy , physical activity , climbing , physical medicine and rehabilitation , philosophy , civil engineering , archaeology , epistemology , engineering , history
Objectives To compare metabolic equivalent ( MET ) values of common daily tasks in men and women aged 70 and older with normative criteria and to determine the effect of having mobility impairments. Design Cross‐sectional observational study. Setting University‐based research clinic. Participants Forty‐five participants aged 70 to 90 (mean 76.3 ± 5.1) volunteered to complete 17 daily activities, each lasting 10 minutes. Measurements Oxygen consumption (VO 2 = mL/kg per minute) was measured through a mask using a portable gas analyzer, and MET values were calculated as measured VO 2 /3.5 mL/kg per minute. Values were compared with normative values and between participants with and without mobility impairments. Results Measured METs were different from the established normative criteria in 14 of 17 tasks performed. Normative values underestimated walking leisurely (0.87 ± 0.12 METs ) walking briskly (0.87 ± 0.12 METs ), and making beds (1.07 ± 0.10 METs ) but overestimated gardening (1.46 ± 0.12 METs ) and climbing stairs (0.73 ± 0.18). Participants with impairments had significantly lower METs while gardening, vacuuming or sweeping, stair climbing, and walking briskly, although when METs were adjusted for performance speed, the metabolic costs were 16% to 27% higher for those with mobility impairments. Conclusion Metabolic costs of daily activities are substantially different from normative values in older adults, and having mobility impairments increases this metabolic cost. These results may have implications for practitioners to appropriately prescribe daily physical activities for healthy and mobility‐impaired older adults.