MUSCLE STRENGTH IN OLDER PEOPLE WITH AND WITHOUT DEPRESSION PARTICIPATING IN A GYM PROGRAM

Objective: To assess the effect of an activity program on the hand grip strength of depressed and non-depressed elderly people. Methods: We evaluated 85 older people (30 depressed women and 39 non-depressed women, and four depressed men and 12 non-depressed men) with a mean age of 65.59 (8.26) years, who participated in an activity program developed for older people and lasting one year. In this period, four hand grip strength assessments were held: one at the beginning of the program, two during the program and one at the end. Data analysis was performed using Analysis of Variances, Tukey's test and t test. Results: We did not find any significant differences among the four evaluations in terms of strength in the total group and in the subgroups. Moreover, there were no significant differences between the depressed women and the non-depressed women, or between the depressed men and the non-depressed men, in any one of the four evaluations. Conclusions: The activity program evaluated was incapable of increasing the hand grip strength of the depressed and non-depressed older people and it appears there is no association between such condition and strength.