Rodrigues Filipe, Monteiro Diogo, Matos Rui, Jacinto Miguel, Antunes Raúl, Gomes Paulo, Amaro Nuno
ESECS-Polytechnic of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal.
Research Center in Sport, Health and Human Development (CIDESD), 5000-558 Vila Real, Portugal.
Epidemiologia (Basel). 2024 Jul 2;5(3):330-339. doi: 10.3390/epidemiologia5030023.
This study aimed to achieve two primary objectives. Firstly, to compare physical fitness levels based on sex, age groups, and body composition. Secondly, to examine physical fitness of the older adults against criterion-referenced fitness standard values using a representative sample from the district of Leiria in Portugal, a region undergoing exponential population growth, including a rise in the elderly population. Data from cross-sectional assessments of the Portuguese older adult community living in the Municipality of Leiria from 2014 to 2022 were collected. This study comprised a sample of 664 community-dwelling older adults (female = 480; male = 184) aged between 60 and 90 years (M = 70.34; SD = 12.67). Participants had a body mass ranging from 45 kg to 122 kg (M = 71.48; SD = 12.34) and a height ranging from 1.30 m to 1.89 m (M = 1.59; SD = 0.08). The Senior Fitness Test battery was used to evaluate parameters of physical fitness, body mass index was calculated, and abdominal circumference was measured. Females displayed a tendency to greater physical fitness compared to males, specifically in terms of lower and upper body flexibility compared to older male adults ( < 0.05). In addition, sexagenarian and older adults with normal weight tended to display greater physical fitness compared to septuagenarian and octogenarian, and overweight adults and those with obesity ( < 0.05), respectively. Information concerning physical fitness is crucial for guiding policymakers and other stakeholders in Leiria for the promotion of healthy aging among the older adult community. Furthermore, this study has established the preliminary reference standards for physical fitness, serving as a tool to promote healthy aging among Portuguese older adults residing in Leiria.
本研究旨在实现两个主要目标。其一，基于性别、年龄组和身体成分比较身体素质水平。其二，以葡萄牙莱里亚区具有代表性的样本为对象，参照标准健康标准值，检验老年人的身体素质。莱里亚区正经历人口指数增长，包括老年人口的增加。收集了2014年至2022年居住在莱里亚市的葡萄牙老年社区横断面评估数据。本研究包括664名年龄在60至90岁之间（M = 70.34；SD = 12.67）的社区居住老年人样本（女性 = 480；男性 = 184）。参与者的体重范围为45千克至122千克（M = 71.48；SD = 12.34），身高范围为1.30米至1.89米（M = 1.59；SD = 0.08）。使用老年人健身测试组来评估身体素质参数，计算体重指数，并测量腹围。与男性相比，女性表现出身体素质更强的趋势，特别是与老年男性相比，在上下身柔韧性方面（<0.05）。此外，与七十岁及以上、八十岁及以上、超重和肥胖的成年人相比，体重正常的六十岁及以上老年人往往表现出更强的身体素质（<0.05）。有关身体素质的信息对于指导莱里亚的政策制定者和其他利益相关者促进老年社区的健康老龄化至关重要。此外，本研究建立了身体素质的初步参考标准，作为促进居住在莱里亚的葡萄牙老年人健康老龄化的工具。
