Influence Of Metabolic Syndrome On Functionality And Cognition In Elderly People

Background: In the aging process, physiological changes occur that increase the elderly person's potential to develop Metabolic Syndrome (MS) and lead to a decrease in functional and cognitive capacity. Thus, the objective was to associate the presence of Metabolic Syndrome with the functional and cognitive capacity of elderly patients receiving outpatient care. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with elderly individuals receiving care at the nutrition outpatient clinic of a university hospital. The NCEP-ATP III criteria were used to diagnose Metabolic Syndrome. Nutritional status was determined by Body Mass Index (BMI). Functional capacity was assessed through Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) using the Katz Index, and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) using the Lawton and Brody scale. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used for cognitive assessment. Results: The sample consisted of 144 elderly individuals, mostly women (72.2%). All participants were classified as independent for ADLs and 82.63% for IADLs. The majority did not show cognitive deficits according to the MMSE (86.7%). There was no statistically significant correlation between the variables of Metabolic Syndrome and the MMSE. However, there was significance (p=0.001) between Metabolic Syndrome and nutritional status, as well as between the means of Waist Circumference, HDL-C, and systolic blood pressure. Conclusion: The components of Metabolic Syndrome were relevant to excess weight, but there was no significance for cognitive and functional deficits among the elderly participants in the study