Resumo

HERNANDEZ, Rosa  e  HERNANDEZ VALERA, Yolanda. Características de los diámetros e índices para estimar la contextura en un grupo de adultos mayores institucionalizados y de vida libre en Venezuela. An Venez Nutr [online]. 2003, vol.16, n.1, pp.11-15. ISSN 0798-0752.

Abstract.  In 307 elderly, divided into two subgroups: 187 institutionalized and 120 free living (163 females and 144 males), with ages between 60 and 99 years were measured the weight, height, humeral, femur, wrist and biacromial breadths and were calculated some frame indexes following the general equation: breadth (mm) / height (cm) * 100. In the breadths and frame indexes no any statistic differences were found at 99 and 95% between the right and left body hemisphere in function of sex, age and life style. Was evident the sexual dimorphism with male predominance (p<0.001) in most of the diameters and frame indexes, pointing out the fact that for the humeral breadth/height do not exist statistic differences by gender. By age and sex was observed that in females exist high statistic differences (p<0.01) between the 60-79 and 80 and older age groups only to the humeral breadth. The masculine sex does not showed statistic differences between the age groups. The analysis by life style indicated no high statistic differences (p<0.01) between the institutionalized and the free-living elderly.

Palavras-chave : Elderly,; anthropometry,; frame size,; weight,; height.