Sex Modifies the Relationship Between Age and Gait: A Population-Based Study of Older Adults

Background. Adequate mobility is essential to maintain an independent and active lifestyle. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to examine the associations of age with temporal and spatial gait variables in a population-based sample of older people, and whether these associations are modified by sex. Methods. Men and women aged 60–86 years were randomly selected from the Southern Tasmanian electoral roll (n = 223). Gait speed, step length, cadence, step width, and double-support phase were recorded with a GAITRite walkway. Regression analysis was used to model the relationship between age, sex, and gait variables. Results. For men, after adjusting for height and weight, age was linearly associated with all gait variables (p