Changes in anthropometric indicators and gait speed in older adults: cohort study

Abstract

Abstract Objective To characterize changes in anthropometric indicators in older adults and investigate whether being overweight was associated with lower gait speed (GS), based on measurements taken at an interval of nine years. Methods Cohort study with older adults (≥65 years), conducted in 2008-2009 (baseline) and 2016-2017 (follow-up) in the city of Campinas/SP and in Ermelino Matarazzo/SP, Brazil. Body weight, height, waist circumference (WC) and hip (HC) measurements were taken and used to determine the following indicators: body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and conicity index (C index). The T and Wilcoxon tests for paired samples were used to estimate the differences. Results Information from 537 older adults (70.0% women) with a mean age of 72.2 years at baseline and 80.7 years at follow-up were analyzed. After nine years, the men showed significant decreases in weight, height and BMI, and an increase in the C index. In women, decreases in weight, height and BMI, and increases in WC, HC, WHtR, WHR and C index were observed. The percentage variations observed were: -3.89% (weight), -0.36% (height), -4.18% (BMI) and +2.27% (C index) among men; -2.95% (weight), -0.65% (height), -0.73% (BMI), +3.33% (WC), +1.59% (HC), +3.45% (WHtR), +2.27% (WHR) and +4.76% (C-Index) among women. Being overweight was associated with greater odds ratio of stability and new cases of lower GS at follow-up. Conclusion Changes were identified in weight, height, BMI, and indicators of abdominal obesity, especially in women, together with an association between being overweight and lower GS.