ArticleBrazilian journal of physical therapy
Obesity is associated with postural balance on unstable surfaces but not with fear of falling in older adults.
Article in Brazilian journal of physical therapy. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Posture stability and functional activity changes after transcranial photobiomodulation for patients with parkinson's disease: A randomized controlled trial.Lasers in medical science · 2025Trial
- Association between Dynapenic abdominal obesity and fall risk among older adults: a longitudinal study in Birjand.Aging clinical and experimental research · 2025Article
- Effect of Vision and Surface Slope on Postural Sway in Healthy Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Body composition, fear of falling and balance performance in community-dwelling older adults.Translational medicine of aging · 2023Article
- Obesity and Bone: A Complex Relationship.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021Review
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere are inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between body mass index (BMI), fear of falling and body balance, especially on unstable surfaces.
objectivesTo investigate whether obesity is associated with worse postural balance and fear of falling in older adults.
methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 201 older adults, classified as normal weight, overweight, or obese according to BMI. Postural balance was evaluated on stable and unstable surfaces on the Biodex Balance System platform under three visual conditions: with and without visual feedback and with eyes closed. Fear of falling was identified by a dichotomous question and the Falls Efficacy Scale. These data were compared between groups and included in adjusted multiple linear regression analysis.
resultsThe study showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in body oscillations on a stable surface between the three groups. On an unstable surface, the obese older adults exhibited body oscillations from 0.61° [95% CI 0.07, 1.30] to 1.63° [95% CI 0.84, 2.41] greater than those with normal weight in the three visual conditions. The obese older adults also displayed larger mediolateral oscillations with visual feedback (mean difference: 0.50° [95% CI 0.01, 0.98]) as well as greater global oscillations without visual feedback (mean difference of 0.82° [95% CI 0.18, 1.81]) and with progressive instability (mean difference: 0.80° [95% CI 0.05, 1.66]) than the overweight older adults. BMI explained from 6 to 12% of body swings investigated on unstable surface. Obesity was not associated with fear of falling.
conclusionObesity was associated with reduced postural stability on unstable surfaces but not with fear of falling in older adults.
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