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

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.