Métodos de estimación de la composición corporal de ancianos: análisis crítico / Body composition estimation methods in elderly: critical analysis

The objective of this study was to compare the values obtained for total body fat obtained with deuterium dilution, anthropometry and bioimpedance in 41 institutionalized elderly individuals (65-90 years old). The values obtained with each technique were compared using the graphic analysis proposed by Bland and Altman, that plots the difference between measurements with both methods against their average. In men (n=20) and women (n=21), the best degree of agreements was obtained between the values measured by deuterium dilution and those calculated from skinfolds (mean difference=1.4 percent and 6.9 percent respectively). The limits of agreement (ñ2SD) for skinfolds reached a maximun of 14.8 percent in men, and 16.8 percent in women. These values tend to underestimate fat in the obese and overestimate it in thinner subjects. For bioimpedance and deuterium dilution, the inter-method difference is significantly greater: 9.3 percent in men and 14.7 percent in women. This lack of agreement is attributed to the fact that the bioimpedance equipment utilizes equations validated for younger adults. In conclusion, estimation of body composition using skinfolds has the smallest difference compared with deuterium dilution, eventhougt individual measurements are not clinically acceptable. Caution is recommended when using individual measurements of body composition in the elderly, due to large errors in the determinations

Factores de riesgo cardiovascular en hombres adultos sanos: innfluencia de la actividad física e ingesta dietaria / Cardiovascular risk factors in adult healthy men: influence of physical activity and dietary intake

To study the influence of physical activity and certain dietary habits on cardiovascular risk factors in middle age men, healthy male workers were subjected to a physical activity inquiry, dietary recall, inquiry about smoking habits and anthropometric assessment. Also, blood pressure was measured and a fasting blood sample was obtained to assess serum total and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose. Multiple stepwise and canonical regressions were used to analyze data. Four hundred eleven subjects aged 46.8ñ10 years were studied. Twenty four percent smoked, mean body mass index was 26.4ñ2.6, mean caloric intake was 11.7ñ3 MJ/day and mean caloric expenditure 10.6ñ1.1 MJ/day or 1.52ñ0.13 times the resting metabolic rate. Physical activity, body mass index and fiber intake appreared as independent but weak predictor of total and LDL cholesterol. Alcohol intake, age and body mass index were predictors of HDL cholesterol and blood pressure was predicted by age, fiber intake and body mass index. Canonical analysis showed that 54 percent of blood pressure variation is explained by age, body mass index and fiber intake and in 31 percent of HDL cholesterol variation is explained by alcohol intake. Physical activity has a weak influence on serum total and LDL cholesterol. Alcohol intake is the main predictor of HDL cholesterol in these workers