The aim of the current study was to develop fitness standards associated with maintaining physical capacity in older adults at two different levels-that needed for advanced functioning and that needed for maintaining moderate (independent) functional ability. This was a cross-sectional study of 406 Chilean adults aged 60 and more. Functional capacity was measured through the Composite Physical Function (CPF) scale. A battery of validated fitness tests for this population was used. Based on the results of the CPF, two variables were created: "advanced physical capacity" (defined as those scoring 24 on the CPF scale) and "moderate (independent) physical capacity," defined as those scoring between 14 and 23 on the CPF scale. Fitness cut-off values were calculated for each of the two created variables to evaluate the risk of losing the independence through Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves analysis and logistic regression. The developed cut-off points provide important information for professionals working directly with older adults, to detect the risk of losing functionality and independence.
Keywords: elderly; functional fitness; healthy aging; physical fitness; physical independence.