The one by First Lady da Silva last Saturday (10) that shows the president () in swim trunks and a cap on the coast of Rio de Janeiro went viral on the networks, with comments from internet users about the physique of the head of state, who is 80 years old, and even images tampered with AI () to make him appear more muscular.
In the publication, the president uses the coastline of Restinga de Marambaia as a metaphor for political conciliation: “This is an extraordinary demonstration, you know? Even to put an end to prejudice between left and right. Here, the wave that comes from the right joins with the wave that comes from the left and builds the sea.”
In 2021, one in which the president also appears in swimming trunks and displays muscular thighs became a topic on the networks.
For Miguel Carneiro, coordinator of the Study and Research Group at and at UFV (Federal University of Viçosa), the president’s physical conditioning is “well above average” for his age.
“He has an upright posture, balanced and independent gait, good musculoskeletal integrity, broad and safe gestures. It’s a non-standard physical condition”, he explains.
According to the professor, it is necessary to be aware of motor and cognitive changes in the behavior of elderly people, because it could mean some type of cognitive decline, dementia or psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression. “Stiffness when walking, signs of forgetfulness, nervousness and irritability are signs that can cause concern”, says Carneiro.
Good physical fitness does not mean that PT members have no concerns about their health. At the end of 2024, Lula suffered an injury that resulted in a . The National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics estimates that 40% of seniors aged 80 and over suffer falls every year.
Furthermore, at the beginning of last year, Lula was .
According to Alessandra Nascimento, physical educator and director of the Brazilian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology in São Paulo, the pattern of active aging that the president presents is unusual in the Brazilian reality, which has a sedentary lifestyle of 47%, according to IBGE data.
The physical educator argues that resistance training (weight training or pilates, for example) is the most essential for quality of life, especially in elderly people, who naturally lose muscle mass. “Walking is better than nothing, but it’s important to have strength even for daily activities, such as sitting and getting up from the toilet,” he says.
Nascimento defends the creation of more public policies to combat sedentary lifestyle in the Brazilian population. “Physical activity helps to improve dementia, even Alzheimer’s, in motor and cognitive issues.”
What AI says about Lula’s conditioning
A Sheet presented the video to ChatGPT and asked the tool for an observational physical assessment of the person in question, without taking their identity into account. The OpenAI chatbot concluded that, based on posture, skin quality, body composition, muscle tone and movement pattern, the man in the image would be “between 65 and 75 years old”, with above average physical fitness for that age.
The AI tool also suggested an exercise routine to maintain good shape after age 80, with strength training two to three times a week, daily stretching exercises, balance training three to four times a week and light aerobic activity, such as walking, swimming or cycling, every day.
In previous years, the PT member published in which he appears doing bodybuilding and physiotherapy.
On social media, an image modified with AI based on a video of Lula on the coast began to circulate, in which he appears much more muscular. One of those who shared it was the leader of the PT in the Chamber, deputy Lindbergh Farias
The body generated by artificial intelligence is incompatible with the vast majority of octogenarians, due to the amount of muscle mass, very low percentage of body fat and sagging skin, according to experts.
