Frailty in Chile: Development of a Frailty Index Score Using the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-2017.

BACKGROUND: The Frailty Index (FI) is used to quantify and summarize vulnerability status in people. In Chile, no development and assessment of a FI have been explored. OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate a FI using representative data from Chilean adults aged 40 years and older stratified by sex. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: National representative data from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-2017 (CNHS 2016-2017). PARTICIPANTS: 3,036 participants older than 40 years with complete data for all variables. MEASUREMENTS: A 49-item FI was developed and evaluated. This FI included deficits from comorbidities, functional limitations, mental health status, physical activity, anthropometry, medications, and falls. A score between 0 and 1 was calculated for each person. Descriptive statistics and linear regression models were employed to evaluate the FI's performance in the population. Comparative analyses were carried out to evaluate the FI score by age (1<60 and ≥ 60 years). RESULTS: The mean FI score was 0.15 (SD:0.09), with a 99% upper limit of 0.46. Scores were greater in women than men (0.17 [SD:0.09]) vs. 0.12 [0.08]); in people older than 80 years (0.22 [0.11]), and in people with ≤8 years of education (0.18 [0.10]) compared with those with >12 years (0.12 [0.08]). The average age-related increase in the FI was 2.3%. When a cut-off point ≥ 0.25 was applied, the prevalence of frail individuals was 11.8% (95% CI: 10.0 to 13.8) in the general population. The prevalence was higher in women 15.9% [95% CI: 13.3 to 18.9] than men 7.4% [95% CI: 5.3 to 10.1]. In a comparative analysis by age, higher FI mean scores and prevalence of frail were observed in people ≥ 60 than younger than 60. CONCLUSIONS: The mean FI score and frailty prevalence were higher in women than men, in people with fewer years of formal education, and incremented markedly with age. This FI can be used for early detection of frailty status focusing on women and middle-aged people as a strategy to delay or prevent frailty-related consequences.

Efectos del entrenamiento fuerza-resistencia en el control de glucosa y función muscular en mujeres adultas sedentarias de Los Ángeles, Chile / Effects of resistance traininig on blood glucose control and muscle function in sedentary adult women in Los Ángeles, Chile

Introducción. El sedentarismo se asocia a múltiples alteraciones metabólicas como la insulinorresistencia y la diabetes mellitus tipo II. Recientes estudios indican que el ejercicio de fuerza-resistencia es efectivo en contrarrestar estas alteraciones metabólicas. Objetivo. Analizar efectos metabólicos y físicos de un programa de entrenamiento de fuerza-resistencia en 40 mujeres de entre 30 y 60 años, sedentarias, trabajadoras de la Universidad de Concepción, Los Ángeles, Chile durante septiembre-diciembre del 2013. Materiales y métodos. Los participantes fueron asignados aleatoriamente a un grupo de trabajo que realizó un programa de entrenamiento de fuerza o a un grupo control que no realizó ejercicio físico. El grupo de trabajo entrenó 4 grandes grupos musculares (flexores de brazo y tronco, extensores de brazo y pierna) 2 veces por semana durante un periodo de 12 semanas. Se midió tolerancia a la glucosa a través de la glucemia basal en ayunas y 120 minutos después de haber ingerido glucosa anhidra disuelta en agua. Además, se midió fuerza-resistencia de los grupos musculares entrenados a través de una «multiestación life fitness 3». Resultados. El grupo de trabajo disminuyó los niveles de glucemia basal (p = 0,023) en comparación a la evaluación inicial, en cambio el grupo control los aumentó (p = 0,006). En relación a la fuerza-resistencia, el grupo de trabajo mostró mejoras significativas en los cuatro grupos musculares evaluados en comparación al grupo control (flexores de brazos; p = 0,001), (flexores de tronco; p = 0,000), (extensores de brazos; p = 0,000) y (extensores de piernas; p = 0,000). Conclusiones. El entrenamiento de fuerza es capaz de disminuir los niveles de glucemia basal B, además de incrementar la fuerza-resistencia muscular en mujeres adultas sedentarias (AU)

Introduction. A sedentary lifestyle is associated with numerous metabolic diseases, such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Recent studies have reported that resistance exercise is an effective method to counteract these metabolic diseases. Objective. To analyze the metabolic and physical effects of a 12-week resistance exercise program in 40 sedentary women aged between 30 and 60 years who worked at the University of Concepcion, Los Ángeles, Chile. The study was conducted between September and December, 2013. Materials and methods. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or to a control group. The experimental group trained four large muscle groups (arm flexors, trunk flexors, arm extensors and leg extensors) twice a week for 12 weeks. Glucose tolerance was measured with a fasting glucose test at baseline and 120 minutes after ingestion of anhydrous glucose dissolved in water. Besides, muscular resistance was measured through a 'life fitness multi station 3'. Results. Fasting glucose levels decreased in the experimental group (p = .023) but increased in the control group (p = .006). Muscle strength significantly improved in the four muscle groups evaluated in the experimental group compared with the control group (arm flexors; p = .001), (trunk flexors; p = .000), (arm extensors; p = .000) and (leg extensors; p = .000). Conclusions. Strength training can reduce fasting glucose levels and increase muscle strength in sedentary adult women (AU)