The reliability of postural balance measures in single and dual tasking in elderly fallers and non-fallers

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of a forceplate postural balance protocol in a group of elderly fallers and non-fallers. The measurements were tested in single and dual-task conditions, with and without vision. METHODS: 37 elderly (mean age 73 +/- 6 years) community-dwellers were included in this study. All were tested in a single (two-legged stance) and in a dual-task (two-legged stance while counting backwards aloud in steps of 7's) condition, with and without vision. A forceplate was used for registering postural variables: the maximal and the root-mean-square amplitude in medio-lateral (Max-ML, RMS-ML) and antero-posterior (Max-AP, RMS-AP) direction, mean velocity (MV), and the area of the 95% confidence ellipse (AoE). Reliability of the test protocol was expressed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), with 95% limits of agreement (LoA), and with the smallest detectable difference (SDD). RESULTS: The ICCs for inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability of the balance variables were r = 0.70-0.89. For the variables Max-AP and RMS-AP the ICCs were r = 0.52-0.74. The SDD values were for variable Max-ML and Max-AP between 0.37 cm and 0.83 cm, for MV between 0.48 cm/s and 1.2 cm/s and for AoE between 1.48 cm2 and 3.75 cm2. The LoA analysis by Bland-Altman plots showed no systematic differences between test-retest measurements. CONCLUSION: The study showed good reliability results for group assessment and no systematic errors of the measurement protocol in measuring postural balance in the elderly in a single-task and dual-task condition

Lebensstil, Körpergewicht und andere Risikofaktoren für nichtübertragbare Krankheiten mit Schwerpunkt Ernährung : Resultate der Schweizerischen Gesundheitsbefragung 2012

Swiss Health Surveys (SHS) have been conducted by the Federal Statistical Office every 5 years since 1992. The 2012 SHS presented here is based on a sample comprising 21,597 people, which is representative of the population aged 15 or older resident in Switzerland. The most important results can be summarized as follows: overweight (30.8%) and obesity (10.3%) are widespread. Having stagnated between 2002 and 2007, obesity is once again increasing. Of all the respondents, 32.1% report paying no attention to diet. This has not improved since 1992, and among women the situation has even tended to deteriorate since 2007. Only 10.9% of respondents consume the recommended three portions of vegetables/salad and two portions of fruit per day. Only 9.3% consume the recommended three portions of milk and dairy products. Fish is eaten less than once a week or never by 34.7%; this proportion decreased by 9.5% between 1992 and 2012. Meat/cold cuts are consumed more than 4 days a week by 48.3% of men and 28.5% of women. The decrease in excessive consumption of meat/cold cuts observed from 1992 onwards has not continued since 2002. The proportion of people who drink less than a litre of fluids (excluding alcohol) per day rose from 4.4% in 2002 and 2007 to 5.7% in 2012. The four most frequently cited barriers to a healthy diet are “a strong preference for good food”, “the high price of healthy food”, “habits and pressures of daily life” and “the time required to purchase and prepare healthy food”. All the barriers are cited less frequently in 2012 than in 2007; in particular, the price argument and the inadequate selection available in restaurants, canteens, etc. have become less significant. In 2012, 72% comply with the recommendations for exercise (63% in 2002), and the median value for sitting is now 5 hours per day. Over the last 20 years, the proportion of smokers has decreased significantly among men (from 36.5% to 32.4%), while it has remained stable among women (24.1% and 24.2%). The overall rate of 6 chronic excessive alcohol consumption (≥ 20 g pure alcohol per day for women and ≥ 40 g for men) is 4.8%; since 1997, the proportion has decreased significantly among men (from 7.5% to 5.5%) while remaining roughly the same among women (4.6%, 4.1%). Overall, 11.1% (17.0% of men and 5.6% of women) consume 6 or more glasses of alcoholic drinks on one occasion at least once a month. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension or hypercholesterolaemia has been medically diagnosed at least once in 4.7%, 26.8% and 17.4% of the respondents. Diabetes increased significantly among men between 1997 and 2012, while hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia become more prevalent among both sexes (with a clear rise in hypertension in particular between 2007 and 2012). In summary, this suggests a deterioration with regard to body weight but also in certain lifestyle factors, which is then reflected by an increase in diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia. Particularly at risk are men, older people and those with a lower educational level

Körpergewicht in der Schweiz : aktuelle Daten und Vergleiche mit früheren Jahren : Schweizerische Gesundheitsbefragung 2012

The 2012 Swiss Health Survey (SHS), the fifth in a series of comparable surveys, was conducted on a representative sample of 21,597 adults (aged 15 or more) resident in Switzerland. The most important results can be summarized as follows: overweight (30.8%) and obesity (10.3%) are widespread. Having stagnated between 2002 and 2007, obesity is once again increasing. Risk groups for excess body weight are men, older people, those with a lower educational level, those with a low income, German-speaking Swiss, those living in rural areas, non-Swiss nationals, former smokers, and those who do not comply with the recommendations on exercise and on the consumption of fruit and meat. Risk groups for underweight are women, young people, those with a lower educational level, Italian-speaking Swiss and those who pay no attention to diet. Body weight is influenced not only by sociodemographic and lifestyle factors but also by attitudes to body weight. Altogether, 24.5% of the respondents (27.7% of women, 20.0% of men) are completely or somewhat dissatisfied with their body weight. In the 2012 SHS, the respondents are more satisfied with their body weight than in previous surveys. Altogether, 49.9% of the respondents (48.7% of men, 51.1% of women) wish to alter their body weight, with 80% of this group wishing to lose weight. A change in body weight is desired by 35.3% of those with normal body weight, 30.3% of the underweight, 67.8% of the overweight and 84.5% of the obese. Among the 8.9% of respondents who had followed a special diet in the 12 months before the survey, 50.3% did so 5/38 to lose weight (i.e. for non-medical reasons). Of this group, 39.2% were of normal weight, 41.4% overweight and 18.8% obese. In summary, there is a need for preventive but also therapeutic action with regard to excess and insufficient body weight