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Correlates of functional physical capacity in physically active older adults: a conceptual-framework-based cross-sectional analysis of social determinants of health and clinical parameters

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Abstract

Background

Functional decline in older adults may be affected by clinical status, physical fitness, and social determinants of health.

Aims

This study aimed to explore social determinants of health and health/clinical determinants on two outcomes of functional physical capacity.

Methods and results

Therefore, a population-based sample of 327 older adults (69 ± 7 years; 83.5% women) underwent demographical and clinical questionnaires, risk factors assessments, 6-min walk testing (walking capacity), and handgrip strength testing. Based on multivariable linear regression models, age ( – 4.05 m;  – 5.3 to  – 2.8), being men (71.40 m; 50.5–92.3), body mass index ( – 3.88 m;  – 5.6 to  – 2.1), and quality of life (18.48 m; 6.3–30.6) remained as predictive variables for walking capacity (R2 = 30.8%). In the final model for handgrip strength, age ( – 0.6% kgf; 0.89–0.2) and male sex (65.2% kgf; 55.3–75.8) remained as predictive variables.

Discussion

The mean values for our predicted outcomes were similar to those of healthy and physically active ones, which may be a consequence of the engagement of our sample in a lifestyle program. Also, although using the conceptual framework model to choose explanatory variables with a solid rationale, some of them may present reverse causality in this study setting, regardless of our efforts to annulate this type of bias.

Conclusions

Despite exploratory analyses including contextual factors as potential predictors of walking capacity and handgrip strength, only outcomes at the individual levels were associated, either positively or negatively, with the variations presented by this studied sample of older adults.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Rogério Boff Borges, a statistician at the Biostatistics Unit of the Hospital de Clínicas of Porto Alegre, for his help and guidance in carrying out the statistical analysis for this article.

Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001; National Institute of Science and Technology for Health Technology Assessment (IATS)—FAPERGS/Brasil; National Council on Technology and Scientific Development (CNPq).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise Pathophysiology Research Laboratory, Graduate Program in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Lucinéia Orsolin Pfeifer

  2. Diretoria de Pesquisa, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Lucas Helal

  3. Graduate Program in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Lucas Helal

  4. Exercise Pathophysiology Research Laboratory, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Clinical Research Center, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Porto Alegre, RS, 21301, Brazil

    Nórton Luís Oliveira & Daniel Umpierre

  5. National Institute of Science and Technology for Health Technology Assessment, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Clinical Research Center, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Nórton Luís Oliveira & Daniel Umpierre

  6. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Daniel Umpierre

Authors
  1. Lucinéia Orsolin Pfeifer
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  2. Lucas Helal
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  3. Nórton Luís Oliveira
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  4. Daniel Umpierre
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Contributions

LOP conceived the study idea, conducted statistical analyses, and drafted the manuscript; LH and NLO assisted in the drafted the manuscript, editing, and revising the document; DU helped conceive the study idea, and edited and revised the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript, and agree with the order of presentation of the authors.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel Umpierre.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethical approval and informed consent

The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (GPPG 2018-0100; CAAE 84093317600005327). The procedures followed national guidelines for bioethics in research and all participants read and signed the informed consent before starting their enrollment in the study.

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Pfeifer, L.O., Helal, L., Oliveira, N.L. et al. Correlates of functional physical capacity in physically active older adults: a conceptual-framework-based cross-sectional analysis of social determinants of health and clinical parameters. Aging Clin Exp Res 35, 127–136 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-022-02274-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-022-02274-x

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