Body Composition Symmetry in Long-Term Active Middle-Aged and Older Individuals

Silvia Stagi, Alessia Moroni, Margherita Micheletti Cremasco and Elisabetta Marini
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Silvia Stagi: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Neuroscience and Anthropology Section, University of Cagliari, Cittadella di Monserrato, 09042 Cagliari, Italy
Alessia Moroni: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10123 Torino, Italy
Margherita Micheletti Cremasco: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10123 Torino, Italy
Elisabetta Marini: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Neuroscience and Anthropology Section, University of Cagliari, Cittadella di Monserrato, 09042 Cagliari, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-8

Abstract: This study aimed to analyze body composition and strength symmetry in a sample of 165 middle-aged and elderly Italian volunteers, which included 97 active (67 men and 30 women; 61.17 ± 7.56 years) individuals regularly engaged in Tai Chi Chuan, tennis, or running, and a control group of 59 age-matched sedentary (27 men and 32 women) individuals. Anthropometric and bioelectrical measurements and hand grip strength of both sides were collected. Segmental body composition was analyzed through specific bioelectrical impedance vector analysis. The body composition of the right and left limbs was similar among active individuals (arms: T 2 = 6.3, n.s.; legs: T 2 = 5.0, n.s.), with a similar pattern in the three different disciplines. By contrast, the control group showed bilateral asymmetry (arms: T 2 = 6.8, p < 0.001; legs: T 2 = 8.8, p < 0.001), mainly because of the higher values of specific reactance (t = 2.4; p = 0.018) and phase angle (t = 2.0; p = 0.054) in the dominant arm, and the higher specific vector length (t = ?3.0; p = 0.027) in the left leg. All of the groups showed a higher hand grip strength in the dominant arm (active: t = 7.0, p < 0.001; control: t = 2.9; p < 0.01). In conclusion, the active individuals showed stronger body composition symmetry than the controls, thus indicating a previously undetected positive effect of sport in middle-aged and older adults.

Keywords: body symmetry; segmental body composition; bioelectrical impedance vector analysis; BIVA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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