Table 1.
Comparison between men with a fall and those with no falls including demographics, anthropometry, physical functional tests, walking, lying and sitting habits during the previous 12 months
| 64–69 years | P-value | 70–74 years | P-value | 75–79 years | P-value | 80–84 years | P-value | 85+ years | P-value | Difference between age groups P-value* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fallers (n) | 402 | 628 | 641 | 298 | 101 | ||||||
| Non-fallers (n) | 2,035 | 3,142 | 2,644 | 902 | 205 | ||||||
| Age (years) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 67.2 (67.1, 67.4) | 0.45 | 72.2 (72.0, 72.3) | 0.23 | 77.1 (77.0, 77.2) | 0.49 | 81.5 (81.4, 81.7) | 0.02 | 87.5 (86.9, 88.0) | 0.11 | 0.18 |
| Non-fallers | 67.2 (67.1, 67.2) | 72.1 (72.0, 72.1) | 77.0 (77.0, 77.1) | 81.3 (81.2, 81.4) | 87.0 (86.7, 87.3) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 0.1 (−0.1, 0.2) | 0.1 (−0.1, 0.2) | 0.0 (−0.1, 0.2) | 0.2 (0.0, 0.4) | 0.5 (−0.1, −1.0) | ||||||
| Height (cm) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 173.7 (172.9, 174.5) | <0.001 | 173.1 (172.5, 173.8) | 0.33 | 172.5 (171.9, 173.1) | 0.35 | 170.9 (170.1, 171.7) | 0.46 | 170.5 (168.9, 172.0) | 0.08 | 0.04 |
| Non-fallers | 172.2 (171.8, 172.6) | 172.8 (172.5, 173.1) | 172.2 (171.9, 172.5) | 171.3 (170.8, 171.7) | 168.8 (167.8, 169.8) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 1.5 (0.6, 2.4) | 0.3 (−0.3, 1.0) | 0.3 (−0.3, 1.0) | −0.4 (−1.3, 0.6) | 1.7 (−0.2, 3.5) | ||||||
| Weight (kg) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 82.3 (80.7, 83.9) | 0.006 | 81.3 (80.1, 82.5) | 0.01 | 79.1 (78.0, 80.2) | 0.01 | 76.2 (74.8, 77.6) | 0.91 | 71.9 (69.9, 74.0) | 0.99 | 0.34 |
| Non-fallers | 79.9 (79.2, 80.6) | 79.6 (79.1, 80.1) | 77.5 (77.0, 78.0) | 76.1 (75.3, 77.0) | 72.0 (70.2, 73.7) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 2.5 (0.7, 4.2) | 1.7 (0.5, 3.0) | 1.6 (0.4, 2.7) | 0.1 (−1.6, 1.7) | 0.0 (−2.9, 2.9) | ||||||
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 27.1 (26.7, 27.6) | 0.12 | 27.0 (26.7, 27.3) | 0.01 | 26.5 (26.2, 26.8) | 0.01 | 26.1 (25.6, 26.5) | 0.46 | 24.7 (24.1, 25.3) | 0.27 | 0.44 |
| Non-fallers | 26.7 (26.6, 27.0) | 26.5 (26.4, 26.7) | 26.1 (25.9, 26.2) | 25.9 (25.6, 26.1) | 25.2 (24.7, 25.7) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 0.4 (−0.1, 0.8) | 0.5 (0.1, 0.8) | 0.4 (0.1, 0.7) | 0.2 (−0.3, 0.7) | −0.4 (−1.3, 0.4) | ||||||
| Right-handgrip strength (kg)** | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 41.1 (40.2, 42.0) | 0.45 | 38.1 (37.4, 38.7) | <0.001 | 35.6 (34.9, 36.2) | <0.001 | 33.0 (32.0, 34.0) | 0.006 | 28.9 (27.5, 30.3) | 0.006 | 0.002 |
| Non-fallers | 40.7 (40.3, 41.1) | 39.9 (39.5, 40.2) | 37.3 (37.0, 37.6) | 34.5 (34.0, 35.1) | 31.3 (30.3, 32.3) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 0.4 (−0.6, 1.4) | −1.8 (−2.5, −1.0) | −1.8 (−2.5, −1.0) | −1.6 (−2.6, −0.5) | −2.4 (−4.2, −0.6) | ||||||
| Left-handgrip strength (kg) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 39.1 (38.2, 40.0) | 0.63 | 36.9 (36.2, 37.6) | <0.001 | 34.3 (33.6, 34.9) | <0.001 | 31.6 (30.7, 32.5) | 0.01 | 27.7 (26.5, 28.9) | 0.01 | 0.02 |
| Non-fallers | 38.9 (38.5, 39.3) | 38.2 (37.9, 38.5) | 35.9 (35.6, 36.2) | 32.9 (32.4, 33.4) | 29.7 (28.8, 30.7) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 0.2 (−0.7, 1.2) | −1.3 (−2.0, −0.6) | −1.7 (−2.4, −0.9) | −1.3 (−2.3, −0.3) | −2.0 (−3.6, −0.4) | ||||||
| Timed stands test (s) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 11.0 (10.6, 11.4) | 0.11 | 12.4 (12.1, 12.8) | 0.007 | 13.0 (12.7, 13.4) | 0.03 | 13.5 (12.9, 14.2) | 13.8 (12.9, 14.8) | 0.36 | 0.50 | |
| Non-fallers | 10.6 (10.5, 10.8) | 11.9 (11.8, 12.1) | 12.6 (12.4, 12.8) | 12.6 (12.3, 12.9) | 13.3 (12.6, 14.0) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 0.3 (0.0, 0.7) | 0.5 (0.2, 0.8) | 0.4 (0.1, 0.8) | 0.9 (0.3, 1.5) | 0.01 | 0.5 (−0.7, 1.7) | |||||
| Six meter walking test (s) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 5.3 (5.1, 5.4) | 0.23 | 5.6 (5.4, 5.7) | <0.001 | 5.8 (5.7, 6.0) | 0.003 | 6.3 (6.0, 6.5) | <0.001 | 7.1 (6.7, 7.5) | 0.05 | 0.12 |
| Non-fallers | 5.2 (5.1, 5.2) | 5.3 (5.2, 5.3) | 5.6 (5.5, 5.7) | 5.8 (5.7, 5.9) | 6.6 (6.3, 6.9) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 0.1 (0.0, 0.2) | 0.3 (0.2, 0.4) | 0.3 (0.1, 0.4) | 0.4 (0.2, 0.6) | 0.5 (0.0, 1.0) | ||||||
| Steps needed for 6-m walk (n) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 9.5 (9.3, 9.6) | 0.33 | 9.9 (9.7, 10.1) | <0.001 | 10.3 (10.1, 10.5) | <0.001 | 10.8 (10.6, 11.1) | 0.001 | 12.2 (11.5, 12.8) | 0.08 | 0.008 |
| Non-fallers | 9.4 (9.3, 9.4) | 9.5 (9.4, 9.5) | 9.8 (9.8, 9.9) | 10.3 (10.2, 10.5) | 11.5 (11.2, 11.9) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 0.1 (−0.1, 0.2) | 0.4 (0.3, 0.6) | 0.4 (0.3, 0.6) | 0.5 (0.2, 0.8) | 0.7 (0.0, 1.3) | ||||||
| Twenty centimetre narrow walk test (s) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 5.8 (5.7, 6.0) | 0.48 | 6.4 (6.1, 6.6) | <0.001 | 6.5 (6.3, 6.7) | 0.006 | 7.2 (6.8, 7.5) | 0.008 | 9.4 (6.9, 11.9) | 0.32 | <0.001 |
| Non-fallers | 5.9 (5.8, 6.0) | 5.9 (5.8, 6.0) | 6.2 (6.1, 6.3) | 6.7 (6.5, 6.8) | 8.2 (7.6, 8.7) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | −0.1 (−0.3, 0.1) | 0.5 (0.3, 0.7) | 0.3 (0.1, 0.5) | 0.5 (0.1, 0.9) | 1.3 (−0.5, 3.0) | ||||||
| Walk for exercise (km) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 2.4 (2.1, 2.6) | 0.93 | 2.9 (2.7, 3.1) | 0.04 | 2.6 (2.4, 2.8) | 0.02 | 2.4 (2.1, 2.7) | 0.69 | 1.6 (1.2, 2.0) | 0.22 | 0.63 |
| Non-fallers | 2.4 (2.3, 2.5) | 3.1 (3.0, 3.3) | 2.9 (2.8, 3.0) | 2.4 (2.3, 2.6) | 1.9 (1.6, 2.2) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 0.0 (−0.3, 0.3) | −0.3 (−0.5, 0.0) | −0.3 (−0.5, 0.0) | −0.1 (−0.4, 0.3) | −0.3 (−0.8, 0.2) | ||||||
| Walk as daily routine (km) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 2.4 (2.1, 2.6) | 0.93 | 2.9 (2.7, 3.1) | 0.04 | 2.6 (2.4, 2.8) | 0.02 | 2.4 (2.1, 2.7) | 0.69 | 1.6 (1.2, 2.0) | 0.21 | 0.80 |
| Non-fallers | 2.4 (2.3, 2.5) | 3.1 (3.0, 3.3) | 2.9 (2.8, 3.0) | 2.4 (2.3, 2.6) | 1.9 (1.6, 2.2) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 0.1 (−0.3, 0.3) | −0.3 (−0.5, 0.0) | −0.3 (−0.5, 0.0) | −0.1 (−0.4, 0.3) | −0.3 (−0.8, 0.2) | ||||||
| Daily lying (h) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 8.1 (8.0, 8.3) | 0.42 | 8.2 (8.1, 8.4) | 0.07 | 8.2 (8.1, 8.4) | 0.73 | 8.5 (8.3, 8.7) | 0.20 | 8.9 (8.5, 9.2) | 0.31 | 0.41 |
| Non-fallers | 8.1 (8.0, 8.1) | 8.1 (8.1, 8.2) | 8.3 (8.2, 8.3) | 8.3 (8.2, 8.5) | 8.6 (8.4, 8.9) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 0.0 (−0.1, 0.2) | 0.1 (0.0, 0.3) | 0.0 (−0.2, 0.1) | 0.2 (−0.1, 0.4) | 0.2 (−0.2, 0.6) | ||||||
| Daily sitting (h) | |||||||||||
| Fallers | 6.5 (6.2, 6.8) | 0.26 | 6.3 (6.0, 6.5) | 0.02 | 6.5 (6.2, 6.7) | 0.006 | 6.8 (6.4, 7.1) | 0.009 | 7.0 (6.4, 7.5) | 0.01 | 0.29 |
| Non-fallers | 6.3 (6.1, 6.4) | 6.0 (5.9, 6.1) | 6.1 (6.0, 6.2) | 6.2 (6.1, 6.4) | 6.1 (5.7, 6.4) | ||||||
| Difference fallers/non-fallers | 0.2 (−0.1, 0.5) | 0.3 (0.1, 0.5) | 0.3 (0.1, 0.6) | 0.5 (0.2, 0.9) | 0.9 (0.2, 1.6) | ||||||
Data are presented as mean (95% CI) and mean difference (95% CI) with P-values for the difference for each age group, except where otherwise stated.
*ANOVA test for differences between fallers and no fallers across the age groups.
**Significant difference was found between countries for grip strength, so data are adjusted for country.