Identifying Senior Physical Fitness Level Thresholds in Elderly to Prevent Diabetes

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in body composition and fitness levels between elderly adults aged 65 and older with and without diabetes, and to propose optimal cut-off values for diabetes prediction. Methods For completion of this study, 165 elderly adults aged 65 and older (90 males, 75 females) were recruited as research participants to compare differences between diabetic and normal groups and to determine optimal cut-off values for each variable. To compare differences in body composition and fitness levels according to diabetes status, diabetes was diagnosed as HbA1c ≥ 6.5%, and optimal cut-off values for each variable were calculated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis based on sensitivity and specificity. Results First, statistically significant cut-off values for diabetes prediction were observed in elderly males: body fat percentage of 24.85% (AUC=0.665, p=.008) and abdominal circumference of 90.60cm (AUC=0.660, p=.012). Second, in elderly females, cut-off values of body weight 54.95kg, body fat percentage 30.85%, abdominal circumference 84.0cm, and skeletal muscle mass 20.55kg were derived, but statistically significant results could not be confirmed. Third, among fitness components, muscle endurance of 11.5 repetitions (AUC=0.363, p=.033) showed statistically significant cut-off values in males Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that body fat percentage and abdominal circumference may serve as practical indicators for predicting diabetes risk in elderly adults, with statistically significant associations observed particularly among males. The proposed cut-off values could be considered useful reference points for community-based health screenings or for identifying individuals at elevated risk of diabetes.