Functional capacity and obesity reflect the cognitive performance of older adults living in long-term care facilities.

BACKGROUND

With the increase in life expectancy, the elderly Brazilian population has grown considerably. However, longevity is usually accompanied by problems such as the loss of functional capacity, cognitive decline, and deterioration in anthropometric parameters, particularly among those living in long-term care facilities. We analyzed the relationship among cognitive performance, anthropometry, and functional capacity in institutionalized elderly individuals.

METHODS

In a sample of 38 older adults (20 men, 18 women) aged 73.4 ± 8.1 years, data regarding anthropometric and functional measurements as well as the Mini-Mental State Examination were collected. Functional tests were based on a battery adapted from the Functional Fitness Test. The independent t-test and χ test were applied. P < 0.05 was set as the significance threshold.

RESULTS

The rate of cognitive impairment among obese individuals (78.6%) differed from that among eutrophic subjects (45.8%), but there was no difference between sexes. There was a significant positive correlation between handgrip strength and Mini-Mental State Examination score, and the scores of the timed up-and-go test and the sitting-rising test were negatively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination score.

CONCLUSION

Cognitive impairment in the elderly living in long-term care facilities was more pronounced and frequent in obese individuals. This study also demonstrated that better functional capacity reflects better cognitive performance.