Relationship between Waist-to-Height Ratio and Physical Fitness in Elderly Men and Women

The study aimed to investigate and analyze the relationship between waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and physical fitness in male and female older people, and to explore the potential applications of WHtR. The subjects were 6,258 men and women (3,634 men and 2,624 women) aged 65 and older. This study analyzed the differences between upper and lower groups based on WHtR cutoff values, and performed Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses of physical fitness(strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, cardiorespiratory endurance, balance, coordination) and WHtR, body fat percentage, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference(WC) in older men and elderly women. As a result of comparing the physical fitness of the upper and lower groups according to the cut-off value of WHtR in older men and women, significant differences between the groups for both men and women were found in all variables except handgrip strength. In older men, BMI was the strongest predictor of strength, and body fat percentage was the strongest predictor of muscular endurance, flexibility, cardiorespiratory endurance, equilibrium, and coordination. In older women, WC was the strongest predictor of strength and muscular endurance, and WHtR was the strongest predictor of cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, equilibrium, and coordination. Therefore, WHtR is the most useful anthropometric measure to describe cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, balance, and coordination in older women.