Body composition of elderly people in a rural area of Thai Binh province

Abstract

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 762 elderly people residing in a rural commune in Thai Binh province (prior to the administrative merger) in 2024. The study participants’ body composition was measured using the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method. The results showed that the average age of participants was 74.5±8.0 years, with females accounting for 61.2%. The prevalence of chronic energy deficiency was 14.8%, while overweight and obesity accounted for 29.7%. High body fat was observed in 31.8% of participants, and a low skeletal muscle mass index was found in 65.1%. The prevalence of high body fat and low skeletal muscle mass index increased progressively with age, from 23.3 and 47.0% in the 60-69 age group to 42.9 and 81.0% in those aged 80 and above. Visceral fat area was higher in females than in males across all the three age groups. Fat-free mass, skeletal muscle mass, skeletal muscle mass index, and phase angle (phA) values tended to decrease with age in both men and women.