Table 1.
Descriptive characteristics for younger and older adults
| Variable | Younger adults (mean ± SD) | Older adults (mean ± SD) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| SF-36 mental health scorea | 77.8±29.0 | 81.9±13.6 | 0.74 |
| SF-36 physical health scorea | 89.0±9.6 | 82.0±22.6 | 0.35 |
| STAI-trait scoreb | 30.0±6.3 | 28.4±5.5 | 0.30 |
| IPAQ total score (MET-min/week)c | 6,854.8±4,424 | 4,782.3±3,807 | 0.14 |
| Resting systolic blood pressure | 125.68±12.4 | 125.0±13.2 | 0.85 |
| Resting diastolic blood pressure | 67.5±6.6 | 69.5±10.7 | 0.46 |
| Individual test temperature for TS trials (°C) | 47.5±1.6 | 47.9±1.9 | 0.41 |
Notes:
a
Score range for SF-36 mental health and physical health scales is 0–100, with 100 indicating the best health.
b
Score range for the STAI-trait is 20–80, with higher scores indicating greater trait anxiety.
c
A score of >3,000 MET-min/week is considered as a high level of physical activity participation. Younger adult group age range: 18–27 years. Older adult group age range: 56–77 years.
Abbreviations: IPAQ, International Physical Activity Questionnaire; SF-36, Short-Form Health Survey; STAI, State Trait Anxiety Inventory; TS, temporal summation; MET, metabolic equivalent.