Objective: Evaluate the phase angle and the factors associated with their values in institutionalized Brazilians elderly. Design: cross-sectional study. Participants and Settings: Study with 213 subjects aged ≥ 60 years, of both sexes, residents in long-term care facilities for the elderly. Measurements: The phase angle was determined by examining the bioelectrical impedance. Body mass index was used to evaluate the anthropometric nutritional status and skeletal muscle mass index to estimate skeletal muscle mass reserve. To examine the factors related to the phase angle was used Poisson regression with robust variance. Results: More than half of the elderly (50.7 %) presented phase angle below normal values, with higher prevalence among females (60.9 %). Men showed median values of phase angle and phase angle percentiles superior to women. Low phase angle values were associated with sex (PR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.06 to 4.07 ), longevity (PR: 1.92 ; 95% CI: 1.04 to 3.52 ) and sarcopenia severe (PR: 1.26 ; 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.50). Conclusion: The occurrence of PA below normal values was high, especially among women and was associated with sex, severe sarcopenia and longevity, demonstrating the possible role of PA as elderly identification tool with impaired skeletal muscle mass reserve.