Health-Related Physical Fitness in Normal-Weight and Over Weight/Obese Elderly in Taiwan

台灣地區正常體重與過重／肥胖老年人之健康體適能

簡盟月(Meng-Yueh Chien) ； 吳英黛(Ying-Tai Wu) ； 連倚南(I-Nan Lien) ； 陳思遠(Ssu-Yuan Chen) ； 陳曉宜(Shiau-Yee Chen)

《物理治療》 28卷4期 (2003/08) Pp. 173-180

摘要

Purpose: To investigate health-related physical fitness in normal-weight and overweight/obese elderly in Taiwan. Methods: A total of 78 elderly (above 65-year-old) volunteers participated in this study and were divided into two groups by body mass index (＜ 24.0 kg/m2 and ≧ 24.0 kg/m2). Physical fitness evaluation included strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, three-minute stepping test, and body composition analysis. Results: Subjects in the overweight/obese group had higher systolic blood pressure (p ＜ 0.05). There were significant differences in curl-up test, % body fat, fat free mass, waist/hip ratio, and physical efficiency index (PEI) derived from stepping test, but not in flexibility and grip strength, between the two groups. Multiple linear regression after adjusting for age and gender revealed that only the PEI was significantly different between the two groups (p ＜ 0.05), while no significant difference was found in flexibility, grip strength and muscular endurance between the two groups. Conclusion: The overweight/obese group had lower physical fitness than their normal-weight counterparts. These findings suggest the importance of regular assessment of physical fitness in obese elderly and also the need to design an adequate exercise program for them to maintain good fitness.

關鍵字

體適能 ； 過重 ； 肥胖 ； 老年人

並列摘要

Purpose: To investigate health-related physical fitness in normal-weight and overweight/obese elderly in Taiwan. Methods: A total of 78 elderly (above 65-year-old) volunteers participated in this study and were divided into two groups by body mass index (＜ 24.0 kg/m2 and ≧ 24.0 kg/m2). Physical fitness evaluation included strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, three-minute stepping test, and body composition analysis. Results: Subjects in the overweight/obese group had higher systolic blood pressure (p ＜ 0.05). There were significant differences in curl-up test, % body fat, fat free mass, waist/hip ratio, and physical efficiency index (PEI) derived from stepping test, but not in flexibility and grip strength, between the two groups. Multiple linear regression after adjusting for age and gender revealed that only the PEI was significantly different between the two groups (p ＜ 0.05), while no significant difference was found in flexibility, grip strength and muscular endurance between the two groups. Conclusion: The overweight/obese group had lower physical fitness than their normal-weight counterparts. These findings suggest the importance of regular assessment of physical fitness in obese elderly and also the need to design an adequate exercise program for them to maintain good fitness.

並列關鍵字

Physical fitness ； Overweight ； Obesity ； Elderly