Abstract

Introduction: female aging is associated with adipose redistribution, muscle deterioration, and decreased functionality. Integrating body composition and functionality could improve the clinical characterization of obesity.Objective: to analyze the relationship between muscle quality, abdominal adiposity, hemodynamic parameters, and functional performance in older women with obesity.Methodology: an observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study was conducted in 131 community-dwelling older women. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, obtaining body fat percentage, appendicular lean mass, visceral adipose tissue, and subcutaneous adipose tissue. Muscle quality was estimated using the muscle quality index. Functional performance was evaluated through gait speed, Timed Up and Go, five-times sit-to-stand test, single-leg balance, and the 2-minute step test. Analysis of variance, Welch robust tests, and multiple linear regression were performed.Results: 23.7% showed impaired muscle quality and 54.2% clinical obesity. Participants with lower muscle quality showed poorer balance, functional mobility, and resistance. Visceral adipose tissue was associated with diastolic blood pressure, whereas age was related to higher systolic blood pressure and poorer functional performance. Additionally, the ratio between visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue progressively increased with age.Discussion: the findings are consistent with studies describing associations between muscle deterioration, abdominal adipose redistribution, and functional decline.Conclusions: lower muscle quality was associated with poorer physical functionality in older women with obesity. Furthermore, advanced aging was related to abdominal adipose redistribution and progressive deterioration in functional performance.