Longevity & AgingNew MMQ Questionnaire Detects Mobility Decline in Middle Age Before It Becomes Serious
Mobility decline often begins subtly in middle age (45–64 years), yet no validated self-report instrument existed specifically for this population. Researchers developed the Mobility in Middle-Age Questionnaire (MMQ) using a 7-step Delphi process with 10 multidisciplinary experts, producing a 16-item, bilingual (English and Hebrew) tool covering two factors: current mobility ability and perceived 1-year mobility change. Validated in 610 US and 594 Israeli adults, the MMQ demonstrated excellent internal consistency, strong test-retest reliability, and good structural fit. Critically, it showed dramatically lower ceiling effects than the widely used PF-10 scale from SF-36, meaning it can detect gradual functional decline that older tools miss. A preliminary risk threshold score of 50 (20th percentile) was proposed to flag individuals in a 'Potential Mobility Risk Zone' for early intervention.
