Aging with strength: Locomotor capacity and its determinants among the rural elderly community of India.

CONTEXT: The locomotor capacity of elderly individuals enables them to perform their daily activities without any assistance, but when it gets limited, it curbs their independence, and in resource-limited settings of rural India, it contributes heavily to their wellbeing.

AIMS: This study aimed to assess their locomotor capacity and various factors associated with it.

SETTINGS AND

DESIGN

This community-based cross-sectional study was done among 195 elderly individuals residing in a rural area of the state of West Bengal, India.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: Study participants were selected using a cluster sampling method. Sociodemographic, nutritional, and behavioral factors and comorbidities were assessed, followed by gait testing using short-performance physical battery testing.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Binary logistic regression was used to identify the associated factors via SPSS version 16 software.

RESULTS

By applying short-performance physical battery testing among them, it was found that 57.4% had limited mobility. Individuals with higher age [aOR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.01-1.15], female gender [aOR: 3.85; 95% CI: 1.78-8.34], higher nutritional vulnerability [aOR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.36-2.23], lower physical activity [aOR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97-0.99], and the presence of diabetes mellitus [aOR: 4.21; 95% CI: 1.21-14.64] were reported as major factors to be associated with limited mobility.

CONCLUSIONS

Locomotor limitation in the elderly emerged as a significant public health problem. Along with regular physical activity and a healthy-diverse diet, a resilient community support system and social security measures were suggested, to promote and preserve the locomotor capacity of the elderly.