Building an evaluation model of physical health in women aged (35–50) years based on some anthropometric indicators

Abstract

Physical health is one of the main pillars of overall human health, especially in middle-aged women (35–50 years), due to physiological and hormonal changes that may affect physical fitness and health status. This research aims to build a physical health assessment model based on a set of anthropometric indicators including body mass index, waist ratios, thickness of skin folds, and periphery. The research used the descriptive correlational approach, and the data was collected from a sample of 80 women within fitness programs in Baghdad, with the application of standard measurement tools such as the Calibre skin fold measurement device and the measuring tape. The results of the analysis of the main components showed that four basic factors explain the overall variation in the data, where the factor of thickness of skin folds was the most influential by 35.888%, followed by the relative factor, body circumference and fat storage factor. These results confirm that anthropometric measurements provide accurate and objective indicators for assessing physical health in middle-aged women. The researcher concluded that the proposed evaluation model can be relied upon as a practical tool to accurately and reliably determine levels of physical health. It recommended the application of this model in preventive and evaluation programs to guide women towards healthy lifestyles and improve their quality of life and general health.