doi:10.3390/nu16020298engMoradell, AnaGomez-Cabello, AlbaMañas, AsierGesteiro, EvaPérez-Gómez, JorgeGonzález-Gross, MarcelaCasajús, Jose AntonioAra, IgnacioVicente-Rodríguez, GermánLongitudinal changes in the body composition of non-institutionalized spanish older adults after 8 years of follow-up: the effects of sex, age, and organized physical activityART-2024-136724Aging leads to physiological changes affecting body composition, mediated by lifestyle. However, the effectiveness of organized physical activities (OPAs) in attenuating or delaying these age-related transformations remains an area of limited understanding. The primary objectives of this study were threefold: (I) to comprehensively assess the evolution of body composition in a cohort of Spanish older adults over an 8-year period; (II) to compare this evolution in the different age groups; and (III) to investigate the influence of active engagement in OPAs on these age-related changes. From a sample of 3136 Spanish older adults recruited in 2008, 651 agreed to participate in the 8-year follow-up. Anthropometric and bioelectrical impedance data were included for 507 females (70.3 ± 4.4 years) and 144 males (77.8 ± 4.5 years). Age groups were categorized as follows: youngest (65–69 years), mid (70–74 years), and oldest (≥75 years). The engagement in OPA was recorded before and after the follow-up. A repeated measures ANOVA was performed to evaluate the 8-year changes. Males increased in hip (98.1 ± 9.3 vs. 101.5 ± 10.2 cm) and waist circumferences (101.2 ± 6.6 vs. 103.2 ± 6.1 cm), specifically in the youngest group (p < 0.05). Females decreased in weight (67.6 ± 10.0 vs. 66.6 ± 10.5 kg) and fat mass percentage (39.3 ± 5 vs. 38.8 ± 5.4%) and increased in hip circumference (104.4 ± 9.0 vs. 106.5 ± 9.7 cm); these effects were the most remarkable in the oldest group (all p < 0.05). OPA engagement seemed to slow down fat-free mass loses in males, but not in females (grouped by time, p < 0.05). Body composition changes caused by aging seem to happen earlier in males than in females. Moreover, participating in OPAs does not prevent fat-free mass due to aging.2024http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/13122010.3390/nu16020298http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/131220oai:zaguan.unizar.es:131220info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MECD/CB16-10-00477info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MECD/EXERNET-DEP2005-00046info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN-FEDER/IMSERSO-147-11info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/DEP2016-78309-Rinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/UZ/UZCUD2016-BIO-01info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/UZ/UZCUD2017-BIO-01info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/UZ/2008-BIO-01Nutrients 16, 2 (2024), 298 [12 pp.]byhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.esinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess