Age-specific changes in mental, physical, lifestyle, and motor function in older adult long-term participants at “kayoinoba” (community gathering places) in a Japanese city: A cohort study

Introduction This study assessed the mental, physical, and lifestyle functioning of older adult long-term participants (5 years) in a Japanese city’s kayoinoba using the Kihon checklist, 30-second chair stand test (CS-30), and a single leg stance test (SLS test).

This study was conducted as an observational study. Participants were categorized into young-old (<75 years) and old-old (≥75 years) groups based on their initial age.

Although total Kihon checklist scores increased significantly at follow-up, no significant difference was found after adjusting for age, suggesting a strong aging effect. Depressed mood (DM) had a relatively pronounced impact on total Kihon checklist scores in the old-old group. The young-old group exhibited a smaller increase in total Kihon checklist scores compared to the old-old group. Motor function remained above that of the general older adults, regardless of age.

The findings indicate that long-term participation in kayoinoba, particularly among young-old individuals, improves motor function and social participation frequency, potentially reducing the risk of requiring long-term care. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Clinical Trial Not applicable - observational study Funding Statement Yes Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Saitama Prefectural University (Approval No. 22037). The protocol was reviewed and conditionally approved on August 30, 2022, with confirmation of corrections received on September 16, 2022. I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes Data Availability All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files.