A man exercising in North Point. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Elderly Hongkongers less fit than US counterparts, study finds

They scored worse in physical flexibility, upper extremity muscle strength and balance

Published: 5:41pm, 13 Jun 2016

Elderly in the city were found to perform worse in overall functional fitness when compared to their counterparts in the United States, a Baptist University study revealed.

Local elderly persons had a worse physical capacity than American senior citizens to safely and independently perform daily activities without fatigue.

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The areas in which local elderly performed worse included body flexibility, upper-extremity muscle strength and balance. The Baptist researchers compared their findings to those of US studies.

Elderly males were also found to perform poorer in lower-body flexibility and aerobic endurance.

People aged 65 or above are expected to comprise 36 per cent of the city’s population in 2064. Photo: May Tse

For example, local men aged 65 to 69 could do 92 steps in a two-minute step test in which one steps repeatedly in place. But American men in the same age group could do 101 steps.

“If Hong Kong can prolong older adults’ ability to take care of themselves, the government and society could save a huge amount of money in social care and medical services,”

Professor Chung Pak-kwong, Baptist University

In the study of 944 local elderly persons aged between 65 and 84, the older ones – those aged 80 to 84 – were shown to have a more significant degradation in flexibility and balance, compared to those aged 65 to 70.

Professor Chung Pak-kwong, head of the university’s department of physical education, said promoting functional fitness could extend the time that the elderly are healthy.

“If Hong Kong can prolong older adults’ ability to take care of themselves, the government and society could save a huge amount of money in social care and medical services,” he said.

The city is seeing a growing number of elderly persons aged 65 or older. In 2014, they comprised 15 per cent of Hong Kong’s population, and in 2064, they are expected to comprise 36 per cent.

Chung urged the government to increase funding for training instructors to teach the local elderly how to exercise at elderly centres or in their home.

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