Functionality, Anthropometric Measurements, and Handgrip Strength in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Introduction: Functionality, anthropometric measurements (BMI, arm circumference), and handgrip strength (HGS) are crucial for assessing the health of older adults, as HGS is a strong predictor of frailty and independence, correlating with muscle mass loss (sarcopenia) and the risk of falls. Background/Objectives: To analyze the relationship between functional capacity, anthropometric measurements, and handgrip strength in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A descriptive, exploratory, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was conducted with 225 older adults monitored at two Family Health Units, using the Barthel Scale, Lawton and Brody Scale, anthropometric measurements (body mass index, waist, calf, and brachial circumferences), and dynamometry as instruments. Spearman’s test was used for correlations, with interpretation by shared variance and comparison of magnitudes by Steiger r-to-z method. A higher frequency of females (65.8%) was observed, in the age range between 60 and 68 years (51.1%), independent in Basic Activities of Daily Living (76.9%) and dependent in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (99.1%). The analysis revealed that waist circumference showed a significant correlation with waist-to-hip ratio (ρ-value 0.604; p-value < 0.01) and body mass index (ρ-value = 0.696; p-value < 0.01). These associations showed shared variances of 36.5% (waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio) and 48.4% (waist circumference and body mass index). Waist-to-hip ratio showed a significant positive correlation with waist-to-hip ratio (ρ-value = 0.256; p-value < 0.01) and body mass index (ρ-value = 0.198; p-value < 0.01). However, these relationships showed lower shared variances at 6.5% with waist-to-hip ratio and 3.9% with BMI. The Lawton scale showed a statistically significant negative correlation with hand grip strength (ρ-value = −0.176; p-value < 0.01). Conclusions: There is a significant relationship between functional capacity, anthropometric measurements, and hand grip strength in community-dwelling older adults, reflecting the interaction between physical performance, body composition, and autonomy.