Associação da obesidade abdominal dinapênica com a incapacidade funcional e desempenho físico de idosos não institucionalizados do sul do Brasil

Abstract

In recent years, the concept of dynapenic abdominal obesity has been introduced, characterized by a loss of muscle strength associated with a large amount of central adiposity. Studies show that this condition in older adults is associated with functional disability, falls, poor physical performance, hospitalization, and mortality. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the association of dynapenic abdominal obesity with functional disability and physical performance in community-dwelling older adults residing in the city of Pelotas, Brazil. We utilized baseline data from a population-based longitudinal study, known as "COMO VAI?", which was initiated in 2014 in Pelotas. Dynapenia was identified by measuring low muscle strength using a handgrip dynamometer, and central adiposity was assessed by measuring waist circumference with a tape measure. As for the outcomes, physical performance was evaluated using the gait speed test, and functional capacity was assessed using the Katz Index. The association between dynapenic abdominal obesity and gait speed was investigated using both crude and adjusted linear regression models. The association between dynapenic abdominal obesity and functional capacity was assessed using crude and adjusted Poisson regression models with robust variance adjustment, considering a significance level of 5%. In 2014, 1,451 individuals were interviewed. Those with dynapenic abdominal obesity exhibited lower gait speed compared to older adults without these conditions. Additionally, we also observed that abdominal obesity or dynapenia alone were associated with lower gait speed. When analyzing functional capacity, we noted that older females with abdominal obesity or dynapenic abdominal obesity had a higher prevalence of functional disability compared to those without any condition. Results were not significant for men. The results of our study underscore the importance of considering abdominal obesity and dynapenia when assessing the risk of functional disability and reduced physical performance in older adults, particularly when both conditions coexist in the same individual. This approach can lead to significant improvements and help prevent health issues in this population.