Original scientific paper
Physical Fitness Comparison and Quality of life between Spanish-Serbian Elderly Women through a Physical Fitness Program
Pedro Jesus Ruiz-Montero
orcid.org/0000-0001-9349-2478
; Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
Alfonso Castillo-Rodriguez
Milena Mikalački
Manuel Delgado-Fernandez
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the physical fitness and quality of life related to the health of a sample population of older adult women from Spain and Serbia (60-69 years). A total of 127 female participants of physical fitness programs from Spain (64.33±3.26) and Serbia (63.00±2.88) have participated. Physical fitness, quality of life and socio-demographic characteristics were evaluated by Senior Fitness Test, SF-36 Health Survey and socio-demographic questionnaire, respectively. The anthropometric characteristic was measured by corporal measurement. The physical fitness program comprised exercise of strength, agility and aerobic capacity, centering on the Pilates’ program and Aerobic dance. Mean body mass index was 33.6±7.4 kg·m-2 in the Spanish participants and 25.1±2.6 kg·m-2 from the Serbian participants (P<0.001). Similarly, mean waist circumference and body weight of Spanish women was higher than Serbian (P<0.001; P<0.05, respectively). Spanish women perceived lower quality of life dimensions than Serbian women, such as physical functioning, social functioning and general health (P<0.001), general health (P<0.01) and vitality (P<0.05). Serbian participants experienced higher physical fitness, such as upper body flexibility (P<0.05), lower body flexibility, agility and aerobic endurance (P<0.001). In conclusion, Serbian women were found to have better levels of physical fitness and quality of life than Spanish women. Furthermore, endurance fitness has 73% of explained variance with age, body mass index and fat mass.
Keywords
Physical fitness; socio-cultural difference; quality of life; aging; economic development
Hrčak ID:
166084
URI
Publication date:
16.9.2015.
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