ASI Seminar: Eduardo Caldas Costa

Eduardo Caldas Costa, associate professor of physical education at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Title: Movement, Function, and Intrinsic Capacity: Insights into Healthy Longevity from Public Primary Care in Coastal and Semi-Arid Regions of Northeast Brazil

This talk explores healthy longevity among Brazil’s oldest old through findings from two community-based studies conducted in Northeast Brazil, within real-world public primary care settings. The NATAL and SERIDÓ studies reflect distinct geographic and socio-environmental settings: an urban coastal city (Natal-RN; ~750,000 residents) and a semi-arid inland municipality (Jardim do Seridó-RN; ~11,500 residents).

Both studies evaluate key indicators of healthy aging, including physical function, movement behaviors, and intrinsic capacity. Special attention is given to how these factors relate to broader aging outcomes such as cardiovascular risk and falls. By integrating clinical, behavioral, and contextual data, these studies contribute to global discussions on healthy aging in low- and middle-income country contexts.