Functional decline poses a significant challenge in aging, including frailty-related conditions. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the physical and functional status of older adults and to create a Fitness Index (FI) representing individual functional levels for the early identification of frailty. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 88 participants (71.27 ± 5.33 years). Participants completed questionnaires assessing physical activity (PASE), autonomy and independence (ADL/IADL), and comorbidities (CCI). Inclusion criteria included age between 65 and 84 years and specific questionnaire cut-off scores. Participants underwent anthropometric and body composition assessments, waist circumference measurement, reaction time evaluation (simple and choice), handgrip strength testing, gait speed assessment (15 feet), and the Senior Fitness Test battery. The results showed that the principal component analysis identified the first retained component (RC1), representing global functional performance, which was operationalized as the FI. To improve interpretability, FI scores were linearly rescaled to a 0–100 range (mean 41.18 ± 18.9). Construct validity was examined using multiple linear regression models including age, sex, and their interaction. Age and sex significantly predicted functional fitness levels (β = −1.72, p < .001 for both). In conclusion, the RC1 reflected global physical function, and the observed decline of approximately 1.7 FI points per year suggests a progressive age-related reduction in functional capacity. These findings support the potential utility of composite functional indices for early identification of frailty and encourage future longitudinal studies including additional neuromuscular and functional indicators.

Authors:
Pierosario Giuliano, University of Naples, Italy
Marco Tarabini, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Stefania Orrù, University of Naples, Italy

About the Presenter(s)
I am a PhD candidate at the University of Naples "Parthenope" and I have worked as a part-time lecturer at the University of Milan. My recent research has focused on frailty in the elderly, also I have conducted research on fatigue monitoring.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierosario-giuliano-10820767/

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