Body Weight and Cardio-respiratory Fitness: Predictors of Physical Function Capacity among Older Adults

Ageing is an inevitable part of human life, thus, everyone may grow and become old. The ageing process is characterized by reduced physical activity, accumulation of fat and loss of muscle mass resulting in weight gain and reduced cardio-respiratory function that leads to loss of physical function capacity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which body weight and cardio-respiratory endurance predict physical functional capacity of older adults in Navrongo, Ghana. This study employed quantitative cross-sectional design, using a multistage sampling method with 998 aged (60yrs+) participants. The senior fitness test battery, international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) short form for elderly, weighing scale and tape measure were used to collect the data. The independent t-test and multiple regression were applied to analyse the data. The results indicated that physical activity levels were generally minimal among both men and women with 53% of the population having MET of <600, but women were more overweight (BMI=28kg/m2), had reduced cardio-respiratory function (M = 53.22, SD = 12.51) compared with men (M = 70.87, SD = 15.60) and physical function capacity (<100 functional score). The results also indicate that body mass index and cardio-respiratory endurance are significant predictors of physical function capacity among older adults F (2, 995) = 956.63, p < .05, R = 0.81, R2 = .658 and adjusted R = .657. It is concluded that, body mass index and cardio-respiratory endurance are significant predictors of physical function capacity among older adults in Navrongo. It is recommended that, education on the health benefits is provided and regular participation in physical activity is done to promote regular exercise among these older adults. A longitudinal study is needed to explore the moderation-mediation role of physical activity on the relation of cardio-respiratory function and physical function capacity among older adults.