Functional Balance among Middle-aged Adults is a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease.

Vascular diseases are associated with falls in older adults (>65 years), but this relationship is not well understood in middle-aged adults. This study aimed to determine if balance in middle-aged adults with poor ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) was impaired compared to those with normal ABPI. We hypothesized middle-aged adults with vascular disease, measured through ABPI, will fail the Romberg Balance Test at a higher rate compared to those without vascular disease. Data was collected from the 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Good balance was determined by passing the 4 condition of the Romberg Balance Test; failure wad defined as not passing the 4 condition or any of the preceding conditions. Poor ABPI was classified as ≤0.90 and normal ABPI as >0.90. Middle-aged adults (50.1 ± 0.23) with poor ABPI have a higher frequency of poor balance (4.2%) compared to good balance (1.3%; p=0.001). Further, individuals with poor ABPI have 3.38 (CI: 1.66, 6.87; p=0.001) times the odds of having poor balance compared to individuals with normal RABPI, which remained significant after adjusting for age and body mass index. Individuals who are at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease, as assessed by ABPI, have higher odds of poor balance. Thus, poor balance appears to be a characteristic of middle-aged individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease.