Efeito de uma intervenção interdisciplinar no estado nutricional, na capacidade físico-funcional e nos fatores psicológicos e emocionais de idosas

Abstract

Introduction: nutritional status and functional capacity are directly related to the quality of life of older adults. Likewise, self-esteem, anxiety, and depression can impact the health of this population. Objective: to evaluate the effect of an interdisciplinary intervention on the nutritional status, physical-functional capacity, and psychological and emotional factors in older women. Methods: the study is a clinical trial, with older women (age ≥60 years). Interdisciplinary interventions of Physical Education (3 times a week) and Psychology (1 time a week) were carried out for 12 weeks, each session lasting 60 minutes. Nutritional status was assessed by body mass index (BMI). Physical-functional capacity was evaluated by the strength of the lower and upper limbs, flexibility, risk of falls, strength of the hand and forearm muscles, and through functional and aerobic capacity. Among the psychological and emotional factors, self-esteem was assessed using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSS); anxiety, by the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), and depressive symptoms, by the Patient Health Questionnaire–9. Statistical analysis was performed using the paired Student's t test to compare the pre- and post-intervention moments. A significance level of 5% was established. In addition, the Cohen`s d effect size and the absolute and relative delta were calculated. In addition, the absolute and relative frequency was calculated for the variables self-esteem, anxiety, and depression, according to symptoms and age group. Results: in total, 23 older women were evaluated. Regarding nutritional status, a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) was observed in body mass and BMI. On the other hand, no statistically significant differences were observed in lean mass, body fat percentage, visceral fat, and basal metabolic rate (p>0.05). In the variables of physical-functional capacity, for maximum isometric strength of right handgrip, maximum isometric strength of left handgrip, elbow flexion, timed up and go, sit and stand, six-minute walk, and VO2peak, a statistically significant difference was observed. Differently, for flexibility there was no statistically significant difference. Regarding self-esteem, anxiety, and depression, a statistically significant difference was observed only in relation to anxiety (p<0.05). Conclusion: it is concluded that both group interventions, in Physical Education and Psychotherapy, were beneficial for promoting the health of older women. The results point to an improvement in the nutritional status, anthropometric variables, body composition, and physical-functional capacity, and, consequently, in the quality of life of the older women. In addition, regarding psychological and emotional factors, interventions were beneficial for anxiety.