Investigation for Quality of Life (QOL) and self-esteem for health in masters’ athletes

Objective: Masters’ athletes have been recognized as the model of anti-aging or “exceptionally successful ageing”. To explore the reasons for such recognition, we have investigated masters’ athletes from the viewpoints of lifestyle and sport psychology, and clarified several new findings.
Methods: Subjects were 142 masters’ athletes (100 males, 40 females, and 2 unknowns, average age 64.3 years old), in which approximately 90% have no history of metabolic syndrome or arteriosclerotic diseases. Anti-aging common questionnaire for QOL (AAQOL) was conducted and activity of daily living (ADL) was evaluated.
Results: Significant correlations were observed between AAQOL categories and 4 factors, which are self-esteem for health, daily satisfaction, worthwhile daily life, sleep quality. The factors influencing health self-esteem were constipation, abdominal fullness, insomnia, age, hypnagogic disorder, fatigue-related symptom, and forgetfulness. The factors influencing the satisfaction of daily life were persistent neurological symptoms, age and difficulty in making judgment.
Conclusion: The present study would contribute to the development of theoretical anti-aging medicine and increasing masters’ athletes with low glycative stress, leading to a new era for the practice of anti-aging QOL/ADL in combination with anti-aging medicine and masters’ athletes.