Does resistance training improve body image satisfaction among the elderly? A cross-sectional study

• Main Authors: Roberta Luksevicius Rica, Eliane Florencio Gama, Alexandre Fernandes Machado, Angélica Castilho Alonso, Alexandre L. Evangelista, Aylton Figueira-Junior, Marcelo Zanetti, Regina Brandão, Maria Luiza de Jesus Miranda, José Vilaça Alves, Marco Bergamin, Danilo Sales Bocalini
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculdade de Medicina / USP 2018-08-01
• Series: Clinics
• Subjects: Body Image; Aging; Resistance Training; Older Women
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322018000100246&lng=en&tlng=en
• ISSN: 1980-5322

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate whether body image satisfaction improves with practice in resistance training in elderly women. METHODS: Forty women were selected and randomly divided into an untrained group (UN) group and a group trained in resistance exercises (RT). To evaluate body image satisfaction, the silhouette matching task was used. RESULTS: No differences were found between current (5.45±0.24) and ideal (4.7±0.12) silhouettes in the RT group. However, the UN group showed a significant difference (p<0.01) between current (10.4±0.43) and ideal (5.6±0.26) silhouettes. The current silhouette was significantly different between the UN and RT groups (p<0.002). However, the ideal silhouette value did not differ between them. Body satisfaction was present in 90% of the participants in the RT group, and the difference was 15% less than that in the UN group (x2 test, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Resistance training in elderly women can promote satisfaction with their body image.