Variáveis de Condição Física, Preditores dos Níveis de Fragilidade em Idosos entre 60 e 64 Anos de Idade de Sabaneta, Antioquia

Abstract

Introduction: The study examines the prevalence and factors associated with frailty in older adults, highlighting the scarcity of research in Latin America and the need for a comprehensive healthcare approach to address this growing epidemiological concern. Purpose: The aim of this cross-sectional correlational descriptive study with a multivariate phase was to determine the physical fitness variables that predict frailty in older adults aged 60-64 years. It was conducted in Sabaneta, Antioquia during the first semester of 2021 with 125 healthy individuals aged 60-64 years. Methodology: For the qualitative variables, sex and frailty were statistically significantly related. For the quantitative variables, "leg strength", "right and left arm strength", "walking agility", and "aerobic walking endurance" were significant in relation to frailty. Results: In the linear regression model, it was found that the variable "walking agility" was the predictor of frailty in older adults. Prevalence of frail conditions in 85.6% of the cases, of which 48% had pre-frail conditions. Variables such as arm strength, leg strength, walking agility, and aerobic walking endurance were statistically significant. Conclusions: Walking agility is a predictive risk factor for frailty in older adults. Individuals with decreased walking agility have a 26% higher probability of being frail.