[The relation between self-perceived health status and the physical fitness in septuagenarians and octogenarians]

The aging process involves an inherent decrease in physiological abilities. The Handgrip Test (HT) and the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) are used to assess physical fitness in the elderly. The SF-36v2 questionnaire, including the physical component (PC), physical function (PF) and physical performance (PP) are used to assess the self-perceived health status. The scope of this study was to compare the physical fitness and the subject's self-perception of health among septuagenarians and octogenarians and to examine the relationship between the variables. Fifty-seven septuagenarian and 26 octogenarian volunteers were recruited from the Ponte de Lima area, completed the SF-36v2 questionnaire and were tested on the HT and 6MWT. The t-Test and the Pearson coefficient of correlation were used for statistical analysis, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Significant differences were found between septuagenarians and octogenarians in PC (p = 0.025), HT (p < 0.05) and 6MWT (p < 0.001). The muscle strength, in septuagenarians, and cardiorespiratory capacity, in septuagenarians and octogenarians contributes significantly to the self-perception of physical health.