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Sex impacts the relation between body composition and physical function in older adults
Rudy J Valentine1, Mark M Misic, Karl S Rosengren
1Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
Menopause (New York, N.Y.)
|May 9, 2009
Summary
In older adults, body composition and fitness impact balance and gait differently by sex. Women are more affected by body composition changes, highlighting the importance of lower body fat and muscle mass for mobility.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Exercise Physiology
- Biomedical Science
Background:
- Aging is associated with declines in physical function, including balance and gait.
- Sex differences in body composition and physical capabilities are observed in older adults.
- Understanding these sex-specific relationships is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sex-specific associations between physical activity, aerobic fitness, adiposity, lean mass, and lower extremity physical function in older adults.
- To identify how body composition and fitness influence balance and gait performance differently in men and women.
Main Methods:
- Study included 85 women and 49 men, sedentary and healthy older adults.
- Evaluated habitual physical activity, maximal aerobic fitness, body composition (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry), gait, and balance (computerized dynamic posturography).
Main Results:
- Men exhibited lower body fat, higher lean mass, and better aerobic fitness than women.
- Aerobic fitness correlated with gait in both sexes; body fat correlated with gait in women only.
- Leg mineral-free lean mass (MFLM) was linked to balance in women, and a higher weight-to-leg MFLM ratio predicted poorer gait in women.
Conclusions:
- Sex modifies the relationship between body composition, aerobic fitness, and physical function in older adults.
- Women's gait and balance are more sensitive to body composition, particularly adiposity and lower body lean mass.
- Maintaining lower body fat and preserving lean mass is vital for preventing physical disability, especially in older women.
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