Nutritional status of the elderly: anthropometric and clinical findings

Relationships between adiposity indices based on weight and skinfold measurements were examined in 75 women and 25 men, aged 63-96 years. For both men and women, relative weight, weight/height, and body mass index (weight/height2) were positively correlated (p less than 0.001) with the triceps and the subscapular skinfold thicknesses. Correlations with the suprailiac skinfold also were significant but of lesser magnitude. Weights of 42% of the subjects exceeded the ideal weight for height by 20% or more; triceps fatfolds of 18% were in the obesity range. One-third of the group was judged to be hypertensive. Relative weight was positively associated with systolic (p less than 0.05) and diastolic (p less than 0.01) blood pressures. Relative weight was correlated with fasting serum glucose of women (p less than 0.01), but unrelated to serum cholesterol concentrations. None of the anthropometric or clinical findings were associated with current level of dietary kilocalories.