Composição corporal de pessoas idosas participantes de uma Universidade Aberta à Terceira Idade

Abstract

The aging process generally causes several physiological changes, such as a decrease in lean mass and an increase in fat percentage. This study aimed to evaluate the body composition of elderly people practicing physical activities at the Open University for the Elderly of the Federal University of Alagoas (UnATI-UFAL). The sample consisted of 20 people, 2 men and 18 women, aged 60 years or over, participating in UnATI-UFAL activities. The study is classified as a survey, observational and cross-sectional study. Data collection was carried out through anthropometric assessment, based on the protocol by Durnin and Womersley (1974), which is a technique that uses four measurements of skinfolds to estimate body fat percentages. The data was analyzed using statistical measures, such as mean and standard deviation. The results indicated that the average body mass of the studied group was 66.9 kg and a standard deviation of 11.4; the average height is 153.5 cm and standard deviation is 6.6; the average body mass index is 28.2 and standard deviation is 4.2; the average fat mass of 37.7 and 6.4 standard deviation; and mean lean mass of 39.5 and standard deviation of 6.2. It is concluded that the body composition of elderly people practicing physical activity at UnATI-UFAL, with regard to body fat, is classified as high or very high; With regard to muscle mass, it presents levels close to those identified in similar studies. The importance of offering physical activities to people aged 60 or over and the adoption of an active lifestyle for a better quality of life is confirmed.