Physical Capacity of Adults

Men in the seventh or eighth decades have lost one-half of their capacity for transforming energy aerobically. The ability to supply blood to active tissue has decreased and skeletal muscles are weaker. Nevertheless, when working within the limit of their ability, many men well advanced in years can carry on long-continued work with a lower heart rate and less evidence of fatigue than that exhibited by young men. The capacity for anaerobic work appears to be maximal in the early twenties and to be small in young boys and old men. The highest lactate levels are reached in the twenties, while there is only a slight lactate increase in the hardest work attempted by young boys or old men. Work or sport activities with the emphasis on speed and strength are best suited to young men. Older men are best fitted for jobs or sports requiring skill, coordination, and endurance.

Sickness Absenteeism in Industry

Absenteeism increases with age so that the total rate is about twice as high in the age group 50 to 59 as in the age group 20 to 40. Age increases the average number of days lost per absence (severity rate) more than the average number of absences per one thousand workers (frequency rate). The increase of absenteeism with age is most pronounced in work performed under conditions of high humidity. It appears that an age over 35 years is a definite handicap for work in high humidity.

The increase of absenteeism with age is more pronounced with men than with women, so that the discrepancy between men and women is greatest in the younger age groups. The difference in the sickness rate between unemployed men and women is even higher than that between employed men and women workers. Tile greater rate of absenteeism among women is an inherent characteristic and accumulated fatigue from a greater amount of extra work is a secondary factor.