The Evaluation of Differenceson Geriatric Syndromesbetween Active and Sedentary Elderly

Purpose:The purpose of the present study was to investigate the differences between diseases, geriatric syndrome and medication use among sedentary and active community-dwelling elderly in Tehran.Method:In this cross-sectional study, 465 community-dwelling elderly men aged 60-95 living independently in Tehran city, Iran participated voluntarily. After the evaluation of PA (physical activity) levels, subjects were divided into two (active elderly and sedentary elderly) groups. Then age-related geriatric syndromes and diseases were measured by questionnaires and functional tests. Data analysis was performed using SPSS(Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) statistical software version 21 and p-value of <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.Achievements of the study:The result of T-test showed that compared with sedentary participants, highly active individuals had better life expectancyand lower risk of fall and sarcopenia (p<0.01). In relation to comorbidities, the number of diseases in physically active individuals was the same as men in sedentary group (p>0.05).It can be stated that higher PA level plays an effective role in the improvement of many age-related disorders and successful aging.