Effects of a physical exercise program on body composition and functional physical fitness in the elderly

The aging process causes innumerable changes in elderly people daily routines, affecting their functionality, mobility, health, and depriving them of an autonomous and healthy life, debilitating their quality of life. This study aims to verify the effects of the practice of a physical exercise program on body composition and functional fitness of elderly people. Participated in our study 40 elderly people divided into two groups. The experimental group (N=20) subjected to structured physical activity and the control group (N=20), that didn't practice any structured physical activity. We used the battery Functional Fitness Test, and the evaluation of the measures of body composition (body mass index, waist circumference, percentage of fat mass, bone mass and muscular mass). In the comparison between Baseline and Follow-up the control group presents differences in the strength and resistance of the lower limbs, strength and resistance of the upper limb, flexibility of the lower limb, agility, flexibility of the upper limb, Muscular Mass and Bone Mineral, with worse values in the follow-up. Regarding the experimental group, in the comparison between Baseline and Follow-up, we observed differences in flexibility of the lower limb, flexibility of the upper limb, Muscle Mass, % Fat Mass and Bone Mineral, with worse values in Follow-up. In conclusion, it was verified that in both groups there was involution in the results, from baseline to Follow-up, but this involution was more severe in the control group.