Net-step exercise and depressive symptoms among the community-dwelling elderly in Japan

Introduction: Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and exercise have attracted attention as potential preventive factors against depression in the elderly. The net-step exercise (NSE) was developed in Hokkaido, Japan to assist elderly people with decreased physical functions. NSE is a non-aerobic, low-intensity, and slow balance motion LTPA. In the present study, the relationship between NSE and depressive symptoms among the community-dwelling elderly is examined. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design with community-dwelling elderly participants, aged 72?81 years (n = 672; mean age = 76.4 years). Participation in NSE and other LTPA, including walking, jogging, and park golf, a sport popular in Hokkaido, particularly among the elderly, was assessed. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Results: Univariate analysis showed that those participating in NSE more than once a month and those who reported engaging in walking or park golf more than once a week were less likely to report symptoms of depression. Multivariate analysis showed that NSE and walking had marginally significant (odds ratio (OR) = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.27?1.02) and significant (OR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.40?0.93) inverse associations, respectively, with reports of depressive symptoms even after adjustments for age, sex, years of education, continuous walking for 15 min, experience of a fall in the past year, utilization of various long-term care services provided for the elderly, stroke, frequency of jogging, and park golf. Discussion: This study showed that participants engaging in NSE, which is a non-aerobic, low-intensity, and low frequency activity, had a marginally significantly inverse association with depressive symptoms. Longitudinal research should be conducted in the future

\u27Blachleor ides\u27 in the Old English Poem Judith

多義的な語をどの意味で解釈するかによって、作品に登場する人物の人物像が大きく変わってしまうことがある。本橋では、古英詩Judith128に見られるblachleorという多義的な語をめぐり、従来提出されている二つの解釈(\u27pale-cheeked, with fear\u27か\u27bright-cheeked, beautiful\u27か)について文献学的な視点から調査・分析を行なった。どちらの解釈をとるかで作品におけるJudith\u27s maidの女性像は180度変化するが、考察の結果、後者の解釈の方が妥当なのではないかと結論した

Influence of volunteer-led net step exercise class on older people’s self-rated health in a depopulated town: A longitudinal study

In a depopulated region where population aging is advancing, it is necessary to establish a method so local residents themselves can be actively involved in older people’s health promotion. Net Step Exercise, a novel dual-task walking program, introduced residents to opportunities for physical activities and social participation without any health specialist support. In one depopulated town (Ikeda, Nakagawa-gun, Hokkaido, Japan), volunteer residents have held Net Step Exercise classes throughout the town since 2007. We longitudinally examined the influence of volunteer-led Net Step Exercise class participation on subsequent self-rated health in all individuals aged 70–79 years living in Ikeda. A total of 662 people who completed a baseline mail-in questionnaire survey in 2012 were followed until 2014. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association with self-rated health after two years of class participation once a month or more at baseline, after controlling for confounds such as age, sex, years of education, living alone, baseline self-rated health, regular exercise, and other physical activities. The odds ratio of poor self-rated health in older people who participated in classes was 0.53 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.34–0.85) compared to older people not participating in classes. Even after confounding factors were adjusted, the odds ratio of class participation was 0.50 (95% CI: 0.29–0.85). This study showed that participation in volunteer-led Net Step Exercise might prevent poor self-rated health. Such Net Step Exercise classes are a feasible method for older people’s health promotion in depopulated municipalities. Keywords: Japan, Depopulated areas, Older people, Health promotion, Physical activity, Social participatio