Assessing physical fitness age in elderly based on physical fitness Components

With the improvement of medical care and reduction of mortality, the population of the world and Iran is aging, so improving the quality of life of the elderly is very important. Active aging & quot;Having a proper and regular physical activity& quot; brings us closer to this goal. The aim of this study was to assess the physical fitness age of the elderly.The present study is a descriptive study that was conducted in the field. The subjects were ۱۰۰ elderly people aged ۶۰ and older (۶۶.۲۶ ± ۵.۸۴ years), ۵۸ women (۶۵.۲۸ ± ۴.۴۱), ۴۲ men (۶۷.۶۲± ۷.۴۸). Sampling was conducted through the convenience sampling method. Physical fitness ages(PFA) were estimated from ۴ Senior fitness tests. The formula for calculating physical fitness age was expressed as physical fitness age =-۰.۴۱۹× grip strength -۰.۰۹۶× balancing on one leg with eyes open -۰.۷۳۷×۳۰ s chair stand +۰.۵۰۳× figure-of-۸ walking test +۰.۴۷× chronological age(CA) +۵۲.۶۸.Data were analyzed using SPSS ۲۴ software. Descriptive statistics, Independent-samples t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank, sign, Spearman s correlation and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test were used. The significance level was considered as P≤۰.۰۵.The results of this study showed that the mean PFA (۶۵.۸۹±۱۱.۰۶ years) was not significantly different from the mean of (CA) (۶۶.۲۶ ± ۵.۸۴ years) (z = -۰.۰۰۷, p = ۰.۹۹۴). But, there was a significant difference in women and men separately. The mean PFA of men (۵۷.۵۹ ± ۱۰.۵۴) was significantly lower than its mean CA (۶۷.۶۲± ۷.۴۸). The mean PFA of women (۷۱.۹۰ ± ۶.۷۰) was significantly higher than its mean CA (۶۵.۲۸ ± ۴.۴۱). The results indicated that there was a significant positive correlation between PFA and CA (r=۰.۴۰۸; n=۱۰۰; p<۰.۰۰۱).It seems that the lower PFA of men than their CA and also the higher PFA of women than their CA is due to several factors including physiological characteristics, cultural and religious issues.

کلیدواژه ها:

Fitness age ، Chronological age ، Elderly