Abstract

Objective: The main purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of obesity on Quality of Life (QOL) in the elderly of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Matherial and methods: Setting: participants of the Health Leisure and Social Integration Project (AHLSIP) at the Miécimo da Silva Sport Center in Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Design: This research is qualitative - quantitative. Participants: Volunteers (144) with a mean age of 68.03 ± 2.29, physically active and of both genders, participants of the Health Leisure and Social Integration Project (AHLSIP) at the Miécimo da Silva Sport Center in Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro. Measurements: In the assessment of body composition, the variables used as determinants of overweight/obesity and cardiovascular risk were body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and waist circumference (WC), using the protocol and the WHO reference for the elderly (WHO, 2004). And in the assessment of QOL it was used the WHOQOL-OLD. Results: We observed a significant association between Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) and the QOL Total Score (P<0.05), showing that individuals with low WHR values had the highest levels of physical activity. We also observed a significant association (P <0.05) between Body Mass Index (BMI) and facet 1 from QOL (P =0,01). Conclusion: The variables BMI and WHR used in the assessment of body composition as indicators of obesity and risk of body fat distribution have an influence on QOL of aged individuals. Verf.-Referat