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Abstract (1996-2001)
The TARA - Quality of Life of Older Adults Assessment Project
(TARA-QOL)
In our research project, we initially assumed that (1) physical health
or physical vitality, (2) mental health or mental vitality, (3) economic
status, and (4) "other" variables constitute important dimensions
of overall quality of life (QoL). Physical vitality is evaluated
by vital age, functional fitness (or activities of daily living) age,
etc., while mental vitality can be evaluated by life satisfaction index,
subjective QoL index, stress index, etc. The "other"
variables consist of food intake, nutritional status, body composition,
social environment, etc. Thus, overall QoL is a multi-dimensional
characteristic for healthy, independent living and may be used as a
good indicator for successful aging. Ample epidemiologic evidence
suggests that exercise plyas an important role in the maintenance of
health-related QoL. On the assumption that regular engagement
in exercise or physical activities extends the healthy lifespan of Japanese
adults, we have developed a number of health-related QoL indices specifically
aimed at older people. Those health-related QoL indices consist
of vital age, functional fitness age, bone mineral content, bone-free
and fat-free lean tissue mass, cardiorespiratory fitness, food and nutritional
status, life satisfaction, and resistivity against stress. Many
of the above factors in each dimension were formulated as a composite
indicator to enable us to compute a score for each individual.
Overall QoL can be evaluated by combining the individual item scores.
Usefulness of the overall QoL score will be further examined in more
detail.