scholarly journals Master World Records show minor gender differences of performance decline with aging

Author(s):  
Paolo Gava ◽  
Barbara Ravara

Aging behaviours are significantly different in females and males, e.g., the former have a longer life expectancy, but consistently a weaker muscle force. Our purpose is to analyse possible gender-differential declines of skeletal muscle performance. The method to find out the decline of performances with aging is based on a parametric analysis of the World Records of Master athletes in different Track and Field events. The analysis is a transformation (normalization) of sports results into dimensionless parameters ranging from the maximum value of 1 (for the absolute world record) to decreasing values with decreasing performances. Master athletes compete in age groups of 5 years till the age of 100 years, thus their World Records are lists of up to 16 data. Results of the normalization procedure are trend-lines indicating that the decline starts not later than the age of thirty years for both women and women. The decline with aging of the muscle performances indicates only minor gender differences in the aging process and all trend-lines tend to zero at about the age of 110 years. The approach, making use of a homogeneous cohort of testers, gets rid of the main confounding factors biasing other kind of studies of the muscle performance decline with aging, in particular clinical studies. Comparing normalized female and male World Records of Master athletes, a surprise emerged: aging decline is very similar, if not identical, the unique exception to the general rule of gender differences in sports activities. The substantial identity of decline trends among females and males suggests that neuro-hormonal differences among genders poorly influence the aging decline, being conceivably related to fundamental cell bioregulators, such as those of cellular energy metabolism and/or their epigenetic regulatory mechanisms.

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Gava ◽  
Walter Giuriati ◽  
Barbara Ravara

Aging behaviours differ in females and males. Females are weaker but survive longer. We report gender decay of skeletal muscle performance by comparing World Records of Master athletes. Master athletes compete in age groups of 5 years till 100 years. The Master World Records are lists of 16 data that, after normalization, show trends of aging decline of muscle performance indicating only minimal gender differences in the process. All trend-lines tend to zero at about 110 years. Since hormons poorly influence aging performance decay, other fundamental bioregulators, e.g., those of cell energy metabolism, seems to be relevant.


1994 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Fung ◽  
Amy Ha

Use of existing records to study performance decline with age has been recommended by several writers. This investigation attempts to identify one running, jumping, and throwing event whose performance was most affected by age. Results indicated that the 400 meter run and the long jump events were most affected by advancing age among both male and female master athletes whereas in the area of throws, the event most affected was the javelin for men and the discus for women.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bergita Ganse ◽  
Anne Kristin Braczynski ◽  
Christoph Hoog Antink ◽  
Matthias Knobe ◽  
Tim Pohlemann ◽  
...  

While physical performance decline rates accelerate after around the age of 70 years, longitudinal athletic performance trends in athletes older than 95 years are unknown. We hypothesized a further accelerated decline in human performance in athletes who still perform at the age of 100 years. To investigate this, longitudinal data of all athletes with results at or over the age of 100 years were collected from the “World Master Rankings” data base spanning 2006–2019 (138 results from 42 athletes; 5 women, 37 men; maximum 105 years) and compared to previously published longitudinal data from 80- to 96-year-old athletes from Sweden (1,134 results from 374 athletes). Regression statistics were used to compare performance decline rates between disciplines and age groups. On average, the individual decline rate of the centenarian group was 2.53 times as steep (100 m: 8.22x; long jump: 0.82x; shot put: 1.61x; discus throw: 1.04x; javelin throw: 0.98x) as that seen in non-centenarians. The steepest increase in decline was found in the 100-m sprint (t-test: p < 0.05, no sign. difference in the other disciplines). The pooled regression statistics of the centenarians are: 100 m: R = 0.57, p = 0.004; long jump: R = 0.90, p < 0.001; shot put: R = 0.65, p < 0.001; discus throw: R = 0.73, p < 0.001; javelin throw: R = 0.68, p < 0.001. This first longitudinal dataset of performance decline rates of athletes who still compete at 100 years and older in five athletics disciplines shows that there is no performance plateau after the age of 90, but rather a further acceleration of the performance decline.


Author(s):  
Beat Knechtle ◽  
Tiago M. Barbosa ◽  
Pantelis Theo Nikolaidis

Master athletes have been widely used to examine the age-induced decline of human performance. However, so far very limited reviews are available consolidating the age-related differences in master swimming performance. The aim of the present review was to summarize existing knowledge about the age-related changes in three modalities of swimming performance (i.e., pool-swimming, open-water swimming and swim split in triathlons of different distances). In addition, the paradigm of freestyle swimming records from 50 to 1500 m was used to examine age-related differences and sex difference in performance for age groups 25–29 to 100–104 years. For this example of master freestyle swimmers, the sex difference was smaller in the longer events and increased significantly after the age of ∼70 years. In summary, master athletes competing in swimming as single discipline (i.e., pool-swimming and open-water) and in triathlon (i.e., swim split as first discipline) improved their performances across calendar years. The age-related performance decline in swimming seems to be specific to the discipline, the sex and the length of the swimming event.


2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Musselman ◽  
Brenda Brouwer

This study examined gender differences in balance, gait, and muscle performance in seniors and identified gender-specific factors contributing to physical performance. Forty (20 men, 20 women) healthy, community-dwelling seniors (74.5 ± 5.3 years) participated. Limits of stability, gait speed, lower limb flexor and extensor isokinetic concentric peak torques, self-reported activity level, and balance confidence were measured. No gender differences were detected in gait speed, limits of stability when normalized to height, activity level, or balance confidence (p≥ .188). Women were weaker than men (p≤ .007), even after controlling for weight and body-mass index, suggesting that other gender-related factors contribute to strength. Gender accounted for 18–46% of the variance in strength and served as a modifier of the relationship between activity level and strength in some muscle groups. The primary factors relating to gender-specific strength was activity level in men and body weight in women.


2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 993-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianmin Gong ◽  
Natalie Wong ◽  
Dahua Wang

Are gender differences in emotion culturally universal? To answer this question, the current study compared gender differences in emotional arousal (intensity) ratings for negative and positive pictures from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) across cultures (Chinese vs. German culture) and age (younger vs. older adults). The raters were 53 younger Germans (24 women), 53 older Germans (28 women), 300 younger Chinese (176 women), and 126 older Chinese (86 women). The results showed that gender differences in arousal ratings were moderated by culture and age: Chinese women reported higher arousal for both negative and positive pictures compared with Chinese men; German women reported higher arousal for negative pictures, but lower arousal for positive pictures compared with German men. Moreover, the gender differences were larger for older than younger adults in the Chinese sample but smaller for older than younger adults in the German sample. The results indicated that gender differences in self-report emotional intensity induced by pictorial stimuli were more consistent with gender norms and stereotypes (i.e., women being more emotional than men) in the Chinese sample, compared with the German sample, and that gender differences were not constant across age groups. The study revealed that gender differences in emotion are neither constant nor universal, and it highlighted the importance of taking culture and age into account.


Author(s):  
Uday Jain ◽  

The Aim: To determine gender differences in the dynamic of job stress indicators in an open population of 25-64 years over a long-term period - 29 years in Russia / Siberia (Novosibirsk). Methods: Within the framework of the screening in 1988-89 under the WHO MONICA-psychosocial (MOPSY) program (n=1676, 49.5% males, mean age 44.1±0.4 years), in 2003-2005 under the international project HAPIEE (n=1650, 34.9% males, mean age 54.25±0.2 years), in 2013-2016 (n=975, 43.8% males, mean age 34.5±0,4 years) and 2016-2017 (n=663, 41.3% males, mean age 51.95±0.32 years) within the framework of the budgetary theme No. AAAA-A17-117112850280-2, random representative samples of men and women in one of districts in Novosibirsk were examined. Job stress indicators were assessed using the Karasek’s scale adopted by MONICA-MOPSY. Results: About 40% of male and female population in 1988 reported a change in occupation in the previous 12 years. The highest proportion of such persons was observed in the younger age groups and significant gender differences were also found there. By 2016-17, the proportion of those who changed their specialty decreased but gender differences were not determined. In 2016-17, the proportion of men and women who enjoy their job increased slightly compared to 1988, but the gender difference was insignificant. Responsibility at work increased up to 58.2% and 54.5%, respectively in dynamics among young men and women. In 2016-17, the perception of responsibility at the workplace returned to the semblance of 1988 without gender differences. Regarding changes in the workplace, in 1988, the most frequent were "change of salary" and "change of workplace" for both sexes. Men more often than women indicated conflicts with their superiors and subordinates. In 2013, the change of workplace was reported more often than changes in salary (especially in the youngest group of 25-34 years old) but in 2017 these answers correlated with each other, amounting to 11-12%. No gender differences were observed. In 2013-16, share of men and women who reduced their workload increased to 20%. This proportion decreased in 2016-17. And the trend towards an increase in workload at the workplace moved at a faster pace, especially among middle-aged and older men. The proportion of women who cannot relax and rest after usual working day in the period from 1988 to 2013-16 was stable at 38-39%; but by 2016-2017 it decreased by a third. The proportion of such men has been growing over 29 years and began to exceed women by 10% in 2016-17. Conclusions: Both genders began to perform additional work tasks more often and to assess their responsibility at work as high over 29 years of observations. There is a trend towards eliminating of sex differences.


Author(s):  
O. Marchenko ◽  
O. Kholodova ◽  
K. Zaiets

Describes a complex of methods for the implementation of scientific research, the information of those who were researched is represented, methodology and methods of the research are described.Covers a wide range of problems, in particular a comprehensive study of motivation for both physical activity (needs, interests, self-conception, performance, leisure and factors of a healthy lifestyle), and for learning and succeeding.Objective: to study gender peculiarities and differences in self-description of physical development of schoolchildren. Material: The study involved schoolchildren of 5-11 grades (n = 638), among them: young men - 282, girls - 386. Correlation analysis of self-description of subjective indexes of physical development of schoolchildren has been conducted. Results: Using the results of the testing “Self-description of physical development”. It was found out that the correlational connection of indicators of self-description of the physical development of respondents of all ages have certain gender differences. We found that general self-esteem of boys of primary school age is affected by more indicators than of the girls. Young men associate with their own self-esteem and physical qualities: coordination and flexibility. Girls associate their health with physical activity and their own physical abilities. Conclusions: The obtained results of the scientific experiment give us the right to assert the existence of age and gender differences between the indicators of self-description of boys and girls who are engaged in and not engaged in sports. The study of self-assessment of physical boys and girls of different ages helped to draw conclusions about common and different priorities of the motivational sphere of physical culture and sports in gender and age.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rune Johansen ◽  
Mari Nicholls Espetvedt ◽  
Heidi Lyshol ◽  
Jocelyne Clench-Aas ◽  
Ingri Myklestad

Abstract Background The aim of the present study was to examine to what extent observed gender differences in mental health are associated with the protective factors social support, sense of coherence and participation in regular physical activity and more generally, engagement in organized or unorganized activity with other people. Methods This study was based upon a cross-sectional regional health survey in Norway, conducted during the winter of 2015–2016, in three southern counties; Aust-Agder, Vest-Agder and Vestfold. The study focused on young adults, comparing three age groups; 18–24 years old (n = 624), 25–31 (n = 582), and 32–38 years old (n = 795). Results Sense of coherence was strongly associated with low mental distress in all age groups and for both genders, while the association between low social support and mental distress was significant for young women only. Regular physical activity was not positively associated with low mental distress when sense of coherence and social support were included in the analysis. Conclusion Social support appears to have a stronger role as a protective factor for mental distress among young women, compared to young men and older persons. This has implications for health promoting activities that target young women. Sense of coherence showed a strong association with low mental distress scores for all ages studied.


Author(s):  
Victoria Yermilova ◽  
◽  
Natalia Stroiteleva ◽  
Zhanna Egorova ◽  
Ekaterina Vanina

Smoking and alcohol consumption is a growing trend among young people worldwide. The purpose of this study was to provide students with a comparative analysis of adherence to harmful habits (smoking and alcohol) on the one hand and the frequency of sports and academic performance on the other, taking into account gender differences. The research was conducted in 2019-2020 in 5 cities of Russia; the sample included 1500 people aged 18.4 ± 1.1 years, divided into three equal groups. The control (first) group had students who are not engaged in sports, and the second group comprised students practicing sports but not professionally. The third group was made up of student-athletes. All participants were surveyed to determine the frequency of adherence to harmful habits. In the control group, boys smoked 50% more often than girls (p ≤ 0.05), while in the third group, smoking among boys was registered 70 times less often (p ≤ 0.001). Alcohol consumption in controls was 0.5 times more likely among boys (p ≤ 0.05). Harmful habits affect young people's free time and reduce their academic performance and ability to practice sports.


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