Abstract
Introduction: The World Masters Games (WMG) has the largest number of competitors of any multi-sporting event in the World. Despite high participation in the WMGs since its inception in 1985, there is a lack of scientific data available on WMG competitors. The purpose of this study was to attain demographics on competitors in the 2009 Sydney WMG (SWMG).
Methodologies: A cross-sectional, observational study was completed using an on-line web-based questionnaire (LimeSurvey). The survey consisted of four sections: basic demographics (gender, age, SWMG sport(s) participation, education, occupation, smoking/drinking status), medical history (personal and familial, surgical procedures, Rx’d medications), injury history (type of injury, body part injured) and physiological measures (Ht, Wt, waist, lipid profile, fasting plasma glucose).
Results: (t-test for independent samples between genders, p < 0.05*): A total of 7210 SWMG participants (25–91 yrs, 51.4% males) representing 81 countries and competing in all 28 sports completed the survey (29.4% response rate). Results represent “SWMG cohort”/“males”/“females”. Age (yrs) 51.6/53.7/49.4*, Wt (kg) 76.9/84.1/69.2*, BMI (kg/m2) 25.6/26.3/25.1*, waist circumference (cm) 85.5/89.4/80.2*, SBP (mmHg) 120.9/124.6/117.0*, DBP (mmHg) 74.9/77.0/72.7*, total cholesterol (mmol/L) 4.47/4.46/4.48, HDL's (mmol/L) 1.77/1.68/1.92*, LDL's 2.92/2.93/2.90, fasting glucose (mmol/L) 5.03/5.08/4.97. The majority (75.6%) of competitors were non-smokers, and most (83.7%) consumed alcohol. Top 5 chronic diseases/disorders were HTN (9.5%), OA/RA (8.9%), asthma (8.7%), dyslipidemia (6.4%) and depression (6.3%). The top 4 prescribed medications were anti-HTN (7.4%), hypolipidemic (4.9%), NSAID's (4.6%), and bronchodilators (4.0%). Physiological categorical results: BMI's (underweight 1.0%/normal 48.4%/overweight 37.4%/obese 12.7%), waist circumference's (optimal 66.8%, gender specific), SBP's (normotensive 30.4%, Pre-HTN 13.1%, HTN 13.1%), DBP's (normotensive 56.0%, Pre-HTN 37.4%, HTN 6.5%), total cholesterol's at target (85.5%), HDL's at target (95.0%), LDL's at target (18.9%), fasting plasma glucose's at target (87.2%).
Conclusions: This data represents the first collection of main outcomes of demographics (basic, personal/familial and physiological) in WMG competitors. SWMG competitors represented a diverse population which appeared, on average, to have a lower incidence of some chronic diseases and disorders (obesity, arthritis, HTN, dyslipidemia and diabetes) and favorable physiological parameters (BMI, SBP, DBP, cholesterol, HDL's, glucose) as compared to the Australian general population. Furthermore, SWMG female competitors, on average, appeared to be healthier with regard to physiological demographics as compared to SWMG male competitors.
Methodologies: A cross-sectional, observational study was completed using an on-line web-based questionnaire (LimeSurvey). The survey consisted of four sections: basic demographics (gender, age, SWMG sport(s) participation, education, occupation, smoking/drinking status), medical history (personal and familial, surgical procedures, Rx’d medications), injury history (type of injury, body part injured) and physiological measures (Ht, Wt, waist, lipid profile, fasting plasma glucose).
Results: (t-test for independent samples between genders, p < 0.05*): A total of 7210 SWMG participants (25–91 yrs, 51.4% males) representing 81 countries and competing in all 28 sports completed the survey (29.4% response rate). Results represent “SWMG cohort”/“males”/“females”. Age (yrs) 51.6/53.7/49.4*, Wt (kg) 76.9/84.1/69.2*, BMI (kg/m2) 25.6/26.3/25.1*, waist circumference (cm) 85.5/89.4/80.2*, SBP (mmHg) 120.9/124.6/117.0*, DBP (mmHg) 74.9/77.0/72.7*, total cholesterol (mmol/L) 4.47/4.46/4.48, HDL's (mmol/L) 1.77/1.68/1.92*, LDL's 2.92/2.93/2.90, fasting glucose (mmol/L) 5.03/5.08/4.97. The majority (75.6%) of competitors were non-smokers, and most (83.7%) consumed alcohol. Top 5 chronic diseases/disorders were HTN (9.5%), OA/RA (8.9%), asthma (8.7%), dyslipidemia (6.4%) and depression (6.3%). The top 4 prescribed medications were anti-HTN (7.4%), hypolipidemic (4.9%), NSAID's (4.6%), and bronchodilators (4.0%). Physiological categorical results: BMI's (underweight 1.0%/normal 48.4%/overweight 37.4%/obese 12.7%), waist circumference's (optimal 66.8%, gender specific), SBP's (normotensive 30.4%, Pre-HTN 13.1%, HTN 13.1%), DBP's (normotensive 56.0%, Pre-HTN 37.4%, HTN 6.5%), total cholesterol's at target (85.5%), HDL's at target (95.0%), LDL's at target (18.9%), fasting plasma glucose's at target (87.2%).
Conclusions: This data represents the first collection of main outcomes of demographics (basic, personal/familial and physiological) in WMG competitors. SWMG competitors represented a diverse population which appeared, on average, to have a lower incidence of some chronic diseases and disorders (obesity, arthritis, HTN, dyslipidemia and diabetes) and favorable physiological parameters (BMI, SBP, DBP, cholesterol, HDL's, glucose) as compared to the Australian general population. Furthermore, SWMG female competitors, on average, appeared to be healthier with regard to physiological demographics as compared to SWMG male competitors.
Duration: 19 Oct 2011 → 22 Oct 2011