Anthropometric changes over 5 years in elderly Canadians by age, gender, and cognitive status

Background. Numerous changes in body composition occur with aging. This stu dy reports on secondary analyses of data from a subsample of institutionali zed and free-living elderly Canadians taking part in both phases of the Can adian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA-1 and CHSA-2; n = 10,263) to document and examine correlates of the evolution of anthropometric characteristics over a 5-year period. Methods. In CSHA-1, community-dwelling (n = 1464) and institutionalized (n = 963) participants' height and weight were measured in clinics. Surviving participants were remeasured in CSHA-2. valid data were available for 487 c ommunity-dwelling respondents (66.9% of those seen in clinics in CSHA-2) an d 140 institutionalized participants (46.9% of those reassessed). Body mass index (BMI = weight [kg]/height [m(2)]) was calculated. Paired t tests wer e used to test changes over the interval, and repeated-measures multivariat e analysis of variance was used to examine the extent of differences within and across categories. Results. The average weight loss between study phases in community-dwelling and institutionalized participants was approximately 2 kg (p < .001). In i nstitutions, this was statistically significant iii most stratification cat egories, as was the case in community-dwelling participants (by gender, age , dementia screening score, and cognitive diagnosis). Among those who were cognitively intact, the greatest weight losses occurred in participants und er 90 years old and in those aged 70 to 79 years with a diagnosis of dement ia (p < .01). Stature decreased more in institutionalized (2 cm) than in co mmunity-dwelling participants (1.4 cm). In institutions, this was significa nt among the oldest men (p < .005), while in the community there were no di fferences in the extent of height lost in all stratification categories. Th e average BMI was largely stable. Conclusions. Body weight and stature declined with aging among elderly Cana dian CSHA participants, particularly in the very old and those with dementi a. Such longitudinal anthropometric data are needed along with information on dietary intakes, and medical, cognitive, and functional measures to plan interventions.-eared to maximizing nutritional and overall health in the e lderly population, whatever their cognitive status.