ANTHROPOMETRIC STUDY IN A GROUP OF ELDERL Y MEN AND WOMEN

Objective. The aim of the present study was to estimate basic anthropo metric measurements in a group of elderly men and women from Mexico Ci ty. Material and methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out amon g senior citizens registered in the National Institute of the Elderly and National Institute of Social security in Mexico City. Standardized protocols were used to measure the anthropometric characteristics of the study group. The analysis included Student t tests to detect diffe rences in average values between men and women in general and in each ae subgroup formed. In addition, Pearson correlation analysis of the b ody mass index (BMI) with anthropometric variables was performed; p<0. 05 was taken as the level of significance. Results. A total of 508 peo ple aged 60 or older participated in the study; 230 were males and 278 were females. The average age was 66.9-years-old in the male group an d 67.3-years-old in the female group. Among men the average weight was 70.7 kg, standard deviation (SD 9.9), height was 164 cm (SD 6.5) and BMI was 26.4 (SD 3.7). Among women the average weight was 60.8 kg (SD 9.9), height was 150 cm (SD 5.9) and BMI was 27.1 (SD 4.0). The distri bution of the BMI showed that 50.9% of men and 54% of women were betwe en 25.0 and 29.9. A correlation coefficient over r 0.70 (<p 0.001) Mas found between BMI and waist and hip circumferences. Conclusions. Base d on the BMI about three-quarters of the population was overweight or obese. It is possible that the assessment of being overweight and of o besity in elderly people needs to be adjusted considering revised norm ality values.