Gait speed correlates in a multiracial population of community-dwelling older adults living in Brazil: a cross-sectional population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Gait speed is a strong predictor of a wide range of adverse health outcomes in older adults. Mean values for gait speed in community-dwelling older adults vary substantially depending on population characteristics, suggesting that social, biological, or health factors might explain why certain groups tend to self-select their gait speed in different patterns. The vast majority of studies reported in the literature present data from North American and European populations. There are few population-based studies from other regions with a different ethnicity and/or social and health conditions. To address this, the present study identified the mean usual and fast gait speeds in a representative multiracial population of community-dwelling older adults living in a developing country, and explored their association with sociodemographic, mental and physical health characteristics. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional population-based study of a sample of 137 men and 248 women, aged 65 years and over. Usual gait speed and fast gait speed were measured on a 4.6 m path. Participants were classified into slow, intermediate, and faster groups by cluster analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the independent effect of each factor on the odds of presenting with a slower usual and slower fast gait speeds. RESULTS: Participants had a mean (SD) usual gait speed of 1.11 (0.27) m/s and a mean fast gait speed of 1.39 (0.34) m/s. We did not observe an independent association between gait speed and race/ethnicity, educational level, or income. The main contributors to present a slower usual gait speed were low physical activity level, stroke, diabetes, urinary incontinence, high concern about falling, and old age. A slower fast gait speed was associated with old age, low physical activity, urinary incontinence and high concern about falling. CONCLUSION: A multiracial population of older adults living in a developing country showed a similar mean gait speed to that observed in previously studied populations. The results suggest that low physical activity, urinary incontinence and high concern about falling should not be neglected and may help identify those who might benefit from early intervention.

Incidência de fibro edema geloide em mulheres caucasianas jovens / Incidence of cellulite in Young Caucasian women

O fibro edema geloide é uma alteração esteticamente indesejável que acomete mulheres em alguma época da vida. De acordo com a classificação proposta por Ulrich, existem três graus de fibro edema geloide: I, II e III. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a incidência da localização corporal e do grau do fibro edema geloide e analisar a porcentagem de gordura em mulheres caucasianas jovens. Foram selecionadas 30 mulheres com média de idade de 20 anos e queixa de fibro edema geloide. As voluntárias foram submetidas à avaliação composta de anamnese, exame físico, avaliação antropométrica e da composição corporal. A média da porcentagem de gordura foi de 27,18. Portanto, concluiu-se que as regiões glútea e posterior da coxa foram as mais acometidas, o grau I foi o mais incidente, e a média de porcentagem de gordura se mostrou elevada nesta população com queixa de fibro edema geloide.

Cellulite is an unacceptable aesthetic problem, which affects females in some period of life. According to Ulrich’s classification proposed there are three cellulite’s stages: I, II and III. This study aimed at verifying the incidence of cellulite, by the localization and stage, and to analyze fat percentage in young Caucasian women. Thirty women, who are volunteers, with mean age of 20 years old and complaining of cellulite, were selected. Volunteers were submitted to an evaluation that consisted of anamnesis, physical exam, anthropometric measures and body composition. The fat percentage mean was 27.18. Therefore, it was concluded that cellulite has more incidence in buttocks and posterior thigh, stage I was the most affected, and the fat percentage mean was higher in this population with cellulite’s complaints.