Selected Elements of Lifestyle and the Level of Functional Fitness in Older Women

Antonina Kaczorowska, Anna Sebastjan, Małgorzata Kołodziej, Małgorzata Fortuna and Zofia Ignasiak
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Antonina Kaczorowska: Institute of Health Sciences, University of Opole, 45-060 Opole, Poland
Anna Sebastjan: Department of Biostructure, Wrocław University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51-612 Wrocław, Poland
Małgorzata Kołodziej: Department of Biostructure, Wrocław University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51-612 Wrocław, Poland
Małgorzata Fortuna: Faculty of Medical Sciences and Technology, The Karkonosze University of Applied Sciences in Jelenia Góra, 58-503 Jelenia Góra, Poland
Zofia Ignasiak: Department of Biostructure, Wrocław University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51-612 Wrocław, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-10

Abstract: Background: The appropriate level of functional fitness is a very important element for seniors to maintain self-reliance in daily life. The aim of this research was to assess sociodemographic differences, selected elements of lifestyle, and functional fitness in the older residents of social welfare homes and community dwellers Methods: The analysed group comprised 693 women aged 65–79, including 173 subjects living in social welfare homes and 520 community-dwelling women. Basic anthropometric features were measured, and functional fitness was assessed using the Senior Fitness Test. Basic sociodemographic characteristics, as well as data on health self-assessment and selected elements of lifestyle, were also collected. Results: The female residents of social welfare homes were found to have a lower body mass index (BMI), and they came from smaller cities, compared with community-dwelling older women. Furthermore, almost a third of them had no children and completed primary or vocational education. They also reported smoking, poor health conditions, and lack of physical activity. The functional fitness of women living in social welfare homes was significantly lower than in community-dwelling women. Conclusions: As seniors living in social welfare homes have such a significantly reduced level of functional fitness, compared with their peers living independently, it is necessary to include them in adaptive physical activity and diversified daily activities.

Keywords: ageing; functional fitness; Senior Fitness Test; social welfare homes; community-dwelling elderly (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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