Is South Korea Also Number One in Aging? What Measures Are in Place?

South Korea is anticipating that in two years, the population of individuals aged 65 and above will surpass 20%. This marks the transition into a super-aged society, shifting social concerns towards "Healthy Aging". In this process, the importance of 'frailty', indicating a mid-stage between health and disability, has come to the forefront. Even within the same age group, the physical abilities of seniors vary greatly depending on their health and lifestyle habits. As a result, a large-scale tracking study is underway in South Korea to investigate the factors influencing the progression of frailty and its impacts.

 

Finally, research results indicate that actively participating in religious or social activities also has a positive impact on physical function.

 

Since 2016, the Korean Frailty Cohort Study has been conducting biennial tracking surveys involving seniors aged 70 to 84 recruited from ten hospitals nationwide. Through this, the results of the third tracking survey analyzing six years of frailty data will be presented at the Korean Society for Sarcopenia conference on the 18th of next month.

 

The research team established five criteria to define frailty: unintentional weight loss, reduced walking speed, diminished vitality (survey-based), decreased muscle strength (measured by grip strength), and lowered physical activity levels (caloric expenditure). If an individual met three or more of these criteria, they were classified as frail; one to two criteria categorized them as pre-frail, and if none applied, they were deemed healthy. Among the participants surveyed in 2016, 808 individuals participated in the follow-up survey six years later. Among them, the percentage of previously healthy seniors (760 individuals) who had transitioned into a frail state was as high as 11.6%. This signifies that over one out of every ten previously healthy seniors experienced a significant decline in physical function six years later.

 

The most significant risk factor affecting frailty was found to be severe mobility impairment. Individuals with mobility impairments were 3.8 times more likely to transition into a state of frailty or pre-frailty compared to those without. The study also revealed that as age increased, the risk of frailty heightened. Additionally, for females and rural residents, the risk of frailty was 1.75 and 1.88 times higher, respectively.

 

Furthermore, according to the research results, females tended to have lower levels of physical activity and were found to be more vulnerable in psychological aspects compared to males. Additionally, the intake of multiple medications, oral function impairment, and limited social activity were shown to have an impact on physical frailty.

 

The key factor in preventing frailty and regaining health lies in one's quality of life. The researchers assessed the quality of life based on five factors: exercise capacity, self-care, daily activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. The results showed that even for those who had transitioned into a pre-frail state, if their quality of life was good, their chances of regaining health were 4.91 times higher than those who did not. Additionally, individuals with higher education levels or higher albumin concentrations were found to have a mitigated state of frailty. Albumin can be consumed through protein-rich foods like egg whites.

 

Finally, research results indicate that actively participating in religious or social activities also has a positive impact on physical function. Among the seniors who participated in this survey, 15% were in a pre-frail or frail state, yet their physical function actually improved. With this, the Korean Frailty Cohort Study introduces the "Seven Commandments for Healthy Aging" as a guide for preventing frailty, offering methods for aging healthily.