Is There a Relationship between Anthropometric Indices and Muscular, Motor, and Cardiorespiratory Components of Health-Related Fitness in Active European Older Adults?

Abstract

The aging process induces alterations in the body, resulting in changes in both health-related fitness and specific anthropometric measures. These changes often pose health risks for older adults. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether there is an association between anthropometric indices and muscular, motor, and cardiorespiratory components of health-related fitness in active European older adults. This study included 2687 European older adults, comprising 1999 women and 688 men, with an average age of 70.05 ± 5.5 years. The assessment included health-related fitness using the Senior Fitness Test and anthropometric indices, such as the body adiposity index, body mass index, conicity index, waist-to-hip ratio, and waist-to-height ratio, among others. The results indicated that gender significantly influences the values of physical performance and anthropometric parameters, making them incomparable. The degree of correlation between anthropometric indices and muscular, motor, and cardiorespiratory components of fitness depends on each anthropometric index analysed. The anthropometric index most correlated with physical fitness performance parameters is the waist-to-height ratio (WHR), followed by the body mass index (BMI). Cardiorespiratory endurance and balance are the two physical parameters most correlated with anthropometric indices.