Age and gender differences regarding physical performance in the elderly from Barbados and Cuba.
OBJECTIVE
Presenting physical performance tests' (PPTs) descriptive reference values and prevalence according to gender and age-group regarding a representative sample of non-institutionalised older adults (aged 60 and over) living in Bridgetown (Barbados) and Havana (Cuba).


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional, population-based household survey. In Bridgetown and Havana, respectively, 1,508 and 1,905 subjects were examined who had been selected by probabilistic sampling. PPTs included handgrip strength, standing balance, timed repeated "chair stand" and "pick up a pen."


RESULTS
The results from Bridgetown and Havana showed that values (mean ± standard deviations and percentiles) for men were greater than women in handgrip strength and "chair stand" tests (p≤0.01). Increasing age led to both genders having reduced (p≤0.001) prevalence of people having better results for each test (based on chi-square). Men had proportionately better scores than women in the four tests.


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggested that younger people and men had better physical performance. Men and women in both countries had differences regarding the prevalence of people unable to perform the tests and better test results, according to the test and age-group. The data provided information about the range of performance that can be expected from people in different ages and helped understand usual rates of change in age-groups.
Programa de Pós Graduação em Educação Física, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Nutrição, Departamento de Educação Física, Centro de Desportos, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis-SC, Brasil. alinerb@cds.ufsc.br
Aline
A
Rodrigues-Barbosa
Leticia Miranda
LM
de Miranda
Alexsander
A
Vieira-Guimarães
Herton
H
Xavier-Corseuil
Marui
M
Weber-Corseuil
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001460:Barbados; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003462:Cuba; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010809:Physical Fitness; D004856:Postural Balance; D012737:Sex Factors; D013996:Time and Motion Studies