MEASUREMENT OF SOME AGING CRITERIA
359
presenting the methodology of approach, the
trend of changes for the various aging criteria
chosen, and an attempt to determine a biological age score for the individuals and different
age groups.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was hampered by the small number of people involved and the lack of vital
statistics on the Marshallese people. Another
difficulty has been the uncertainty of exact ages
in some cases, particularly in older people.
The aging criteria to be presented were recorded only in adults, that is in those 20 years
of age and over. Data were recorded on 126
adults, 42 in the originally exposed group and
84 in the larger comparison population. Table
1 shows age and sex distribution of the people
Taste 1.
RonceLap ApuLT PopuLaTion AGE
Disrripution (1959).
Age
Exposed
20 - 24
25 - 29
30 - 34
35 - 39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55 - 39
60 - 64
63 - 69
70-74
73-79
>&0
Unexposed
M
FE
M
F
0
2
3
1
4
1
1
2
0
0
1
a
2
5
1
2
4
2
0
1)
1
§
0
9
1
“4
1
12
3
4
6
2
5
3
5
2
0
a
2
6
6
5
4
3
3
5
1
3
3
0
0
0
Total
12
21
13
13
15
6
11
7
14
5
3
1
5
126
examined. The ages were reasonably well distributed except for a smaller number of older
people (> 60 years of age).
The age criteria chosen were based on
changes generally believed to be associated with
physiological senescence and represent only a
Fig. 1. Calipers used for measurement of skin looseness and elasticity.
ness, 2} skin elasticity (retraction time). 3)
senile changes in the skin, 4) graying of the
hair, and 5) baldness. There were four tests
involving the special sense organs: I) accommodation, 2) visual acuity, 3) arcus senilis, and
4) hearing. The cardiovascular system was
tested by: 1) systolic and diastolic blood pressure recordings, 2) peripheral arteriosclerosis,
and 3) retinal arteriosclerosis. There was one
test of neuromuscular function. Vigor was
measured by hand strength measurements. The
methods used in carrying out these tests follow.
Integument: A special skin caliper was de-
small number of those that might have been
signed for measuring skin looseness and elasticity. (See fig. 1.) The legs of the caliper can
There were 15 tests selected, 9 of which were
23 em. (on scale “A” by adjusting screw “B” in
fig. 1). The spring tension when thecaliper is
closed on a fold of skin results in a pressure of
about 500 Gm. The inner and outer surfaces
of the legs of the calipers are calibrated in millimeter markings (“C” in fig. 1).
1. Skin looseness—Preliminaryinvestigation
revealed that the skin fold at the junction of
the chin and neck was the most satisfactorv for
the measurement of skin looseness and seemed
to be best correlated with age. The measure-
considered. They were selected, however, with
a view toward ease of assessment during routine physical examination under field conditions, time limitations, and language barrier.
Therefore, unfortunately, tests of vigor and
functional capacity were necessarily limited.*
measured directly and 6 of which were estimated on a 0 through 4— scale. There were
5 tests involving the integument: 1) skin loose* Tnere were several tests such as pulse-blond pressure response to
a two-sten test and vital capacity that were tried out but nor used
sinee tney proved unsatisiactery.
30
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be opened to anv desired degree to as muchas
)