Regular exercise practice is favorably related with functional autonomy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the physical activity level influences on the results of the Senior System for Assessment of Action Autonomy (SysSen) in elderly women. The SysSen is composed of a questionnaire (QSAP) focusing on the needs of aerobic power (AP) and upper limb strength (S) for a life perceived as autonomous, and a field test (TSMP), in which the subject walks 800m carrying pre-set loads. The QSAP provides the Expressed Autonomy Index (EAI) and the TSMP, the Potential Autonomy Index (PAI). The ratio between EAI and PAI defines the Autonomy of Action Index (PAI/EAI = AAI). An AAIof 1.0 or more characterizes the subject as independent. The subjects were either assigned to physically active (EG, n = 27) or non-active groups (NEG, n = 21), which were similar in age (NEG = 68 ± 5 vs EG = 69 ± 6 years; p = 0.56), weight (NEG = 65.7± 14.6 vs EG= 67.4± 10.1 kg; p = 0.65), and height (NEG = 1.54 ± 0.05 vs EG = 1.56 ± 0.04 m; p = 0.28). No differences were found for the EAI (NEG 73.3 ± 57.0 vs EG= 73.7± 5.1; p = 0.85) or needs related to AP and S. However, the results for AP and S in EG were higher in the items concerned with the activities daily performed (p < .05). The AAI was statistically similar across the groups (p = 0.55). In conclusion, regular exercise practice did not influence on the action autonomy as appreciated by the SysSen, probably due to a proportional increase of EAI and PAI in the active and inactive groups.
aging; autonomy; physical activity; physical fitness; health
