An Analysis of the Validity of Age 65 as the Standard for Old Age : Based on the 2022 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

This study is aimed at verifying the validity of using age 65 as the standard for defining old age. Data were obtained from the 2022 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Among the total sample of 6,265, data from 2,242 participants aged 60 and older were analyzed. The collected data were divided into four age groups: 60–64, 65–69, 70–74, and 75–80 years, and the characteristics of the participants were analyzed. Complex sample analysis was conducted using the SPSS/WIN Statistics 29.0. The results showed that in terms of daily activity-related characteristics—which can serve as indicators of independence in older adults—there was no significant difference between the 60–64 and 65–69 age groups, indicating they constitute the same group in this respect. Specifically, no significant differences were found in skeletal muscle mass of the limbs, hearing discomfort, sleep duration, subjective health status, depression, chewing difficulty, and walking discomfort. Considering the recent increase in life expectancy and the growing number of elderly welfare service recipients, the findings imply that redefining the elderly age criterion to 70 may be more aligned with contemporary health and social conditions.