Abstract
Understanding and detecting patterns of body composition change and lifestyle factors that influence the development of effective strategies to optimise the health and well-being of the elderly are important. Therefore current research aimed to discover the strength of the correlation between an elderly populations Body Mass Index (BMI) and lifestyle characteristics including diet, physical activity, mobility, balance, sleep, smoking, alcohol consumption and well-being and whether there were any gender differences between BMI measures and lifestyle characteristics. A convenience sample, of n=20 elderly individuals were used in this study (x±s;age=4.40±7.88 years; stretched stature=1.65±0.08 m and body mass = 75.98±11.65 kg) consisting of 8 and 12 males. Body composition was measured through participant’s body mass (kg) divided by height (m) squared to gain a BMI measurement (kg/m²). Lifestyle characteristics were measured quantitatively through Likert scales that followed a pre-validated questionnaire similar to that of Ansari et al.1 BMI measures and Lifestyle questionnaire percentage scores within each gender were then compared using paired sample t-test (α=0.05) producing a Pearson’s Correlation figure to determine the strength of correlations between each lifestyle factor and BMI across genders. Results indicated that males had a slightly higher mean BMI of 28.14±3.27, with a range of 9.4 kg/m2, as the female mean BMI was 27.65±5.06, with a range of 13.1 kg/m2. A paired sample t-test produced a higher coefficient of 0.86 when considering male’s overall lifestyle characteristics questionnaire score and BMI measures, in contrast a coefficient of -0.18 was produced in females. Strong correlations (above 0.7) were detected suggesting a positive correlation between male’s diets, mobility, sleep, alcohol and well-being with BMI. Moderate correlations were shown between female’s diets, sleep and smoking habit with BMI. In conclusion, it is evident that lifestyle habits show positive correlations with BMI measures in both males and females. These characteristics should be optimised to improve BMI measures, promoting healthier lifestyles and hopefully reduce the suggested burden of the aging population on society.
Highlights
CopyrightConsidering the current increasing aging population, understanding of elderly individual’s body composition, well-being and health promoting and damaging behaviors are important.[2]
Body mass index (BMI) results have been evaluated correlation has been detected between overall lifestyle characteristics score and BMI across both genders
When considering the strength of the correlation between elderly body mass index results and overall lifestyle characteristics, a paired sample t-test produced a strong positive coefficient of 0.86 when considering male’s overall lifestyle characteristics questionnaire score and BMI measures, in contrast with a weak negative coefficient of -0.18 produced in females
Summary
Considering the current increasing aging population, understanding of elderly individual’s body composition, well-being and health promoting and damaging behaviors are important.[2] After retirement people are generally more sedentary, resulting excess calories intake, making them prone to degenerative diseases and obesity.[2] As a consequence of aging populations, countries need to define policies to reduce their burden on society. Promotion of research providing policymakers with data on the needs of their aging population is the main objective of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) International Aging Programme.[3]. It is suggested that body composition changes, altering the percentage of fat, bone, water and muscle within the human body.[4] Sarcopenia
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