Anthropometric indicators as predictors in determining frailty in elderly people

Abstract The scope of this article is to analyze anthropometric indicators as predictors in determining frailty in elderly people. This is a cross-sectional, family-based and analytical study. The survey was composed of 316 elderly subjects. The association between the anthropometric markers and frailty was tested using the Logistic Regression technique. However, the power of frailty diagnosis using anthropometric markers and the identification of the best cutoff points were evaluated using the parameters provided by the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. The anthropometric indicators of nutritional status: calf circumference, body mass index and corrected arm-muscle area are inversely associated with frailty. Thus, an increase in the values of these indicators is a protective factor against this syndrome. Analyzing body mass index and calf circumference simultaneously in order to perform a simpler screening for frail elderly people is recommended, as these indicators show good sensitivity and are easier to measure.