Changes in Physical Performance among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Six Years

Darlise Rodrigues Dos Passos Gomes; Leonardo Pozza Santos; Maria Cristina Gonzalez; Edgar Ramos Vieira; Renata Moraes Bielemann

doi:10.3390/ijerph20085579

Changes in Physical Performance among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Six Years

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Apr 19;20(8):5579. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20085579.

Authors

Darlise Rodrigues Dos Passos Gomes¹, Leonardo Pozza Santos², Maria Cristina Gonzalez¹, Edgar Ramos Vieira³, Renata Moraes Bielemann^{1

4}

Affiliations

¹ Post-Graduate Program in Food and Nutrition, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas 96075-630, Brazil.
² Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas 96075-630, Brazil.
³ Department of Physical Therapy, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
⁴ Post-Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas 96020-220, Brazil.

Abstract

Changes in physical performance (PP) occur with aging, and understanding the magnitude of these changes over time is important. This study evaluated changes in Gait Speed (GS) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) performance and their association with related factors among community-dwelling older adults over a period of five to six years. A cohort study of 476 older adults with baseline assessment conducted in 2014 and reassessment in 2019-2020 was carried out. Associations between PP changes over time and sociodemographic, behavioral, and health variables were evaluated using mixed linear models. Approximately 68% of the participants declined PP; 20% had no relevant change in GS and 9% in TUG time (sustained PP); 12% increased GS, and 23% decreased TUG time (improved PP). Being male (p = 0.023), living without a partner/separated (p = 0.035), higher education (p = 0.019), and alcohol consumption in the prior month (p = 0.045) were associated with decreased GS, while older age (p < 0.001), having lower socioeconomic status (p < 0.004), physical inactivity (p = 0.017), and being overweight (p = 0.007) were associated with increased TUG time. PP declined for most participants. Factors most strongly associated with PP decline are non-modifiable. The high prevalence of PP decline over time signals the importance of including physical tests in yearly health assessments.

Keywords: aging; community-dwelling; walk tests.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Cohort Studies
Female
Geriatric Assessment*
Humans
Independent Living*
Male
Physical Functional Performance
Walking Speed

Grants and funding

This study is part of the Longitudinal Study of Older Adults Health—Continuing the ‘‘COMO VAI?’’ Study. The baseline (2014) was financed by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES—Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) and individual resources from master’s students. The second wave (2017) was partially financed by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq—Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico). The third wave (2019–2020) was partially financed by CAPES. RMB and MCG are CNPq Research Productivity Fellows. DRPG received a sandwich PhD scholarship from CNPq. ERV received a publication fee waiver at IJERPH.