The use of bioelectrical impedance vector analysis for a nutritional evaluation of older adults in the community.

Introduction: The body composition of an older adult person is characterized by an increase in body fat, as well as by a reduction in both muscle mass and total body water. The bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) overcomes the limits imposed by bioelectrical impedance, since it only requires the resistance (R) and reactance (Xc) values, standardized by the individual's height, which makes the method more individualized and accurate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the body composition using the BIVA of the community-living older adults, with regard to sex and body mass index (BMI) classification, and compare the results with the reference population.