Anthropometric indices predict physical function and mobility in older Australians: the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Abstract

Maintaining weight within older adults, irrespective of initial body weight, may be important in preventing functional and mobility limitations. Excessive weight is associated with an increased risk of limitation in function and mobility, both key components of health-related quality of life.

Relationship between body mass index and different domains of disability in older persons: the 3C study

“…Our findings on the relationship between obesity and BMI are in agreement with most of the recent studies conducted on BMI and ADL, [24][25][26] IADL, 25,27,19 incontinence, 20,21 mobility 22,23,[28][29][30] or limited physical functioning. [31][32][33][34] Obesity can be associated with functional limitations due to difficulties to perform certain movements and an increase of sedentariness 35 or through the occurrence of disabling pathologies.…”

“…Further analyses were therefore performed to adjust for potential confounding covariates. The OR and their 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) for disability in each domain are presented in Table 2 after adjustments for sociodemographic characteristics, the 'normal' BMI group [19][20][21][22][23] taken as the reference. For each area of disability considered, differences were observed according to sex in the strength of the association between disability and BMI, as well as in the nature of relationships.…”

“…The thresholds of BMI considered were those used in the Mini Nutritional Assessment for low BMI, 10 those recommended for defining overweight in elderly persons 11 and those recommended by the OMS for obesity: 12 o19, [19][20][21], [21][22][23], [23][24][25][26][27], [27][28][29][30], [30][31][32][33][34][35], and Z35. BMI was considered as a categorical variable since the risk of disability associated with BMI was not supposed to be linear.…”

Influences of body mass index and waist circumference on physical function in older persons with heart failure

“…In general, previous cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have reported that older adults with a high WC (40,41) or those with an obese BMI (30 kg/m 2 or more) (5,41,42) are at a two to three times greater risk of functional impairment. The findings of the present study suggest that in older persons with HF, the effects of obesity may not influence physical function to the same degree as in older adults without this chronic illness.…”

Factors associated with mobility of the oldest old

“…In the study by Barbosa et al (15), it was observed that men in all age groups demonstrated greater mobility than women, which is similar to recent results (11). Nutritional status may also be used to indicate mobility, since a low weight (23) and obesity (24) can be associated with decreased mobility. One study (23) established that elderly patients who lost 10% of their weight over a 2 year period were at a 2.2% greater risk of decreased mobility.…”