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Abstract #157912

Sergio Sanchez-Garcia¹, Carmen Garcia-Peña², M. Ximena Duque-Lopez³, Teresa Juarez-Cedillo², Alma R. Cortés-Nuñez⁴, and Sandra Reyes-Beaman⁵. (1) Epidemiology and Health Service Research Unit, Ageing Area., Mexican Institute of Social Security, Edificio de las Monjas. Tercer piso. Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI. Avenida Cuauhtémoc no. 330, Col. Doctores. Delegación Cuauhtémoc., Mexico, 06725, Mexico, 56276900 Ext. 21846 y 21847., sergio.sanchezga@imss.gob.mx, (2) Epidemology and Health Services Research Unit. Ageing Area, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Edificio de las monjas. Tercer Psio. Centro México Nacional Siglo XXI, Av. Cuauhtemoc 330 Colonia Doctores, Mexico City, 06725, Mexico, (3) Nutritional Epidemiologic Research Unit., Mexican Institute of Social Security, Edificio Administrativo. Tercer piso. Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI. Avenida Cuauhtémoc no. 330., Col. Doctores. Delegación Cuauhtémoc., Mexico, 06725, Mexico, (4) Epidemology and Health Services Research Unit, Querétaro, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Hospital Regional No. 1. Av. Ignacio Zaragoza y 5 de Febrero S/N, Col. Centro, Queretaro, 76000, Mexico, (5) Department of Health Sciences., University of Leicester., 22-28 Princess Road West, Room 208, Leicester, LE1 6TP, United Kingdom

Objective: We evaluated anthropometric measurements and nutritional status as they relate to age and gender in healthy elderly people. Methods: The study analyzed data from the national survey "Health needs and health service use by older-than- 60-year-old beneficiaries of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS)". The present study included only individuals who reported no chronic disease in the last 20 years and had no hospital admission in the two months prior to the survey. Anthropometric measurements included weight, height, body mass index (BMI), body circumference (arm, waist, hip and calf), waist to hip ratio (WHR), elbow amplitude and knee-heel length. Results: The study population comprised 870 women and 1,098 men, with a mean age of 68.6 years. The average weights were 62.7 kg for women and 70.3 kg for men (p < 0.05), and the mean heights were 1.52 m for women and 1.63 m for men (p < 0.05). Age related changes in anthropometric values were identified. BMI values indicated that 62.3% of the population was overweight, and 73.6% of women and 16.5% of men had high fat tissue distribution. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that applying the BMI thresholds that identify being overweight in the general adult population may lead to an overestimation in the number of overweight elderly. Similar problems appear to exist when assessing waist circumference and WHR values. Prospective studies are required to determine the associations between health and BMI, waist circumference and WHR in the elderly.

Learning Objectives:

• We evaluated anthropometric measurements and nutritional status as they relate to age and gender in healthy elderly people.

Keywords: Elderly, Nutrition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.