New research has been released which tells us what works best to help maintain the health and function in our much loved older generations.
Take care of your body – it’s the only place you have to live.
Jim Rohn
People around the world are living longer than ever before, which has led to an increase in the overall age of the global population. Over the past 50 years, the number of people over age 65 has tripled. If this trend continues, older adults will make up more than 25 percent of the global population by 2050.
Unfortunately, these longer life spans do not necessarily mean people are living healthier or higher-quality lives. In fact, it’s estimated that more than three-quarters of older adults have at least two chronic diseases. There are myriad interventions to address the health issues that accompany ageing; one of the most effective is exercise. Research shows regular exercise among older adults prevents chronic disease, extends life expectancy and improves quality of life.
A large systematic review (Di Lorito et al., 2021) published last month in the Journal of Health and Sport Science takes a closer look specifically at the types and frequency of exercise that are most effective at improving health outcomes for older adults.
The review includes data from 56 separate meta-analyses on older adults and exercise. The authors, from the University of Southern Queensland in Australia, combined the data to draw some concrete conclusions. They found that exercise results in a wide range of benefits for older adults including improved strength and balance, reduced risk of falling, improved independence and quality of life, better sleep, and improved cognition and mood.
In their data analysis, the authors were able to draw some interesting conclusions about what types of exercise are most effective for older adults. They found:
- Resistance training led to some of the most significant health improvements by building strength, promoting functional abilities, and helping to protect older adults from chronic conditions such as osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. They found evidence that as little as two 20-minute sessions of resistance training weekly resulted in benefits.
- Meditative movement exercises such as Tai Chi and yoga led to larger improvements compared to purely physical types of exercise. While they were not able to explain this finding, they hypothesised that the slower pace and combination of movement and meditation could be more beneficial for older adults.
- Exercise-based video games were effective at encouraging physical activity and leading to overall improvements in health.
- Participants who engaged in programs that included more than one type of intervention were the most effective in improving well-being. For example, programs that asked participants to complete both physical and cognitive tasks, or exercise programs that included an educational component, helped study participants reap greater benefits than just exercise alone.
The take-home message: Exercise is an important way to maintain health and well-being for ageing adults. The evidence shows there are some types of exercise that may be more effective than others. Resistance training, meditative movement, and exercise-based video games were some of the most effective at improving health and well-being.
Science & Tea 