A PHYSICAL-FITNESS MODEL OF OLDER ADULTS

Physical fitness for young people is viewed as a multidimensional cons truct. in that it consists of specific components such as strength, mo bility, balance, flexibility. and stamina. This study examined whether this structure underlying physical fitness is also relevant to older adults. A 10-item performance test, which was assumed to assess six co mponents ts of physical fitness, was administered to 69 healthy volunt eers ranging in age from 61 to 83 years. A covariance structure model was applied to the test data: the second-order factor was Physical Fit ness, and the first-order factors were Strength, Walking, Balance, Fle xibility, Stamina, and Manual Speed which were assumed to be measured based on the ten observed variables. Goodness-of-fit index (GFI) of th e model was acceptable (GFI=0.93). While four factors relating to basi c motor performances (Strength. Walking, Balance, and Manual Speed) ha d loadings more than 0.62 to Physical Fitness, Flexibility and Stamina had less than 0.35. it was suggested for elderly people that strength , mobility, balance, and speed components of physical fitness were hig hly correlated and explainable by a single factor, while flexibility a nd cardiorespiratory endurance were to be measured by use of specific measures.