Determination of the body composition of persons of 20 to 70 years old of Pelotas'comunity

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the body composition of subjects of both sexes, aged from 20 to 70 years, divided in age groups, from the community of the city of Pelotas (RS). These people participate in physical activities programs at the Measurement and Evaluation Section of the Teaching, Research and Extension Laboratory, at the Higher Physical Education School, Universidade Federal de Pelotas. The sample was obtained from 240 persons, 120 of each sex, who were evaluated by measurement of body weight, height and lean and fat body mass. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Student’s t test for independent samples. From the fi nal results, it was concluded that male subjects exhibited greater mean values for body weight, height and lean and fat body mass than females at all of the ages studied, with exceptions being the 60 to 69 age group and percentage fat for all age groups, where the relationship was reversed. Comparing mean values by sex, only the difference in height attained a 5% level of statistical significance.