THE INFLUENCE OF BODY COMPOSITION IN THE STRENGTH OF ELDERLY BRAZILIAN MEN

Introduction: The senior population constitutes 10% of the total Brazilian population. The decrease of skeletal muscle is probably the most significant alteration, being associated with age and some illnesses, and it is determinant in the loss of strength. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between body composition and handgrip strength of Brazilian elderly men. Methods: Forty six men aged 60 years or more were divided into four groups according to their percentage of body fat and lean mass. The medians were defined at % Fat = 28.65 and lean mass = 54.35 kg. Bioimpedance and the handgrip dynamometer were used on the evaluations. Results: Significant differences were observed between the four groups concerning lean mass and fat mass percentile (p >= 0,05) characterizing the specificities of each group for the variables analyzed. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the handgrip strength levels do not depend solely on the lean mass, but also on the % Fat, where the correlation between lean mass and fat percentage may indicate a better or worse condition to perform the isometric grip strength effort.