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Comparison of the Physical Function and Body Composition of Elderly Persons
Living in Rural and Urban Areas in Japan and Thailand

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T. Songpimai, N. Suwankruhasn, H. Sethabouppha, C. Suvanayos, N. Hasegawa, M. Kato, N. Shimizu, 4
T. Umemura, M. Matsunaga, and T. Yamada 6
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Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Thailand, Graduate School of Nursing, Doshisha Women’s
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College, Japan, Department of Rehabilitation, AICHI Medical College of Rehabilitation, Japan, Faculty
of Nursing, Toyama Prefectural University, Japan, Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine,
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Aichi Medical University, Japan, and Faculty of Health Sciences, Bukkyo University, Japan
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Background: Elderly Japanese and Elderly Thai people have different lifestyles that may affect their
health.
Objective: This study aims to compare the physical function and body composition of elderly persons
living in rural and urban areas in Japan and Thailand.

Methods: We enrolled 26 Japanese (age: 71.6 + 6.0) in Nanao city as a Japanese rural population
(JU), and 56 Japanese (age: 74.9 + 5.4) in Kyoto and Nagakute city as a Japanese urban population.
In Thailand, we enrolled 19 Thai (age: 68.8 + 5.0) in Mae Wang, Mae Rim, San Kamphaeng, Hang Dong,
Saraphi and San Sai District as a rural population (TR), and 20 Thai (age: 69.0 + 0.9) in Mueang District
as an urban population (TU). Grip strength, Walk speed (m/sec), Time up and go (TUG), Single leg
stand (SLS), and 30-second chair stand were measured. Percent body fat (PBF), weight, and total limb
muscle weight and length (TOL) were measured. BMI and skeletal muscle index (SMI) were calculated
as body weight and limb muscle weight in Kg divided by height in meters squared (Kg/m2),
respectively.

Oral Presentation Abstracts
Results: One-way analysis of variance reveals that in physical functions such as grip strength, walk
speed, and 30-second chair stand, Japanese did better than Thai people (p < .05) while SLS Thai
people take longer to stand than Japanese (p < .05). TUG was not significant. For body composition
such as PBF, TOL, BMI, and SMI, Japanese were less than Thai people (p < .00).

Conclusion: Thai people are fatter and have more excess fat than Japanese, and their physical
function is less than Japanese. Thai people should adjust their lifestyle by controlling their weight and
active lifestyle.

Keywords: elderly person, body composition, physical function

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Correspondence: Thiranai Songpimai, Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Thailand
E-mail: thiranai_songpimai@cmu.ac.th

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