Postural balance and body mass index in older adults; a descriptive and associative study testing traditional risk factors

Background: There is a scarcity of information about how much the postural balance parameters, as the area and mean velocity of the center of pressure (CoP), can be modified by traditionally adiposity markers in older adults. Objectives: To describe and associate postural balance parameters in Chilean older adults with different BMI. A second objective was to associate the area of balance with weight. Methods: In a descriptive study, Chilean older adults (mean age; 70 +/- 1.0, BMI 29.0 +/- 0.4 kg/m(2)) were categorized by a normoweight control group (CG, n = 7, BMI; 23.1 +/- 0.5), overweight (OvW, n = 41, BMI; 27.6 +/- 0.2), and obesity (Ob, n = 23, BMI; 34.2 +/- 0.5). The subjects were evaluated on a stable/hard [HS]/soft [SS] surface, and under open [OE]/closed [CE] eyes. Secondary outcomes were weight, height, BMI, and functional health. Univariate test and linear regression were applied. Results: CoP mean velocity on the HS and CE, showed significant differences between CG vs. OvW groups (24.9 +/- 7.4 mm/s vs. 12.1 +/- 0.97 mm/s, p < 0.0001). There were significant differences in Romberg index between CG vs. OvW group (176.7 +/- 16.4% vs. 132.4 +/- 7.1%, p = 0.002), and between CG vs. Ob group (176.7 +/- 16.4% vs. 129.4 +/- 17.2%, p = 0.005). On the SS with OE, there were significant differences between CG vs. OvW groups (29.8 +/- 4.8 mm/s vs. 18.6 +/- 1.2 mm/s, p < 0.003), and, on the SS, with CE, between CG vs. OvW groups (41.5 +/- 31.2 mm/s vs. 24.6 +/- 15.2 mm/s, p = 0.015). Conclusions: At higher BMI such as at overweight or obesity conditions, older adults show a reduced 'CoP mean velocity' than control normoweight peers', being 'weight' a traditional adiposity risk factor predictor of balance performance.