The history and economic impact on the functional fitness of elderly in the South-Eastern region of Poland: A comparison with US citizens

The present study was aimed at analyzing the socio-economic influence on functional fitness parameters, described by the Fullerton tests. A pool of 180 women divided into six age groups (65–69, 70–74, 75–79, 80–84, 85–89 and 90–94 years) was examined. They all were informed-consent participants. The results clearly show that low life standard in the early biological development has a significant impact on the functional fitness in all age groups. Comparison of our results with those described previously for the USA inhabitants revealed a considerably lower level of functional fitness for the Polish population than observed in the US.