Can physical activity extend the lifespan of older adults? A review article published in CMAJ (Journal of the Canadian Medical Association) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.231336 summarizes the considerable evidence supporting the important role that physical activity plays in preventing or reducing the effects of disease and discusses how to prescribe effective exercise for older adults.
Canada’s population is aging: by 2025, at least one in five people will be 65 or older. The number of people over the age of 85 is expected to triple in the next twenty years. However, for many people, these extra years do not mean healthy years. More than 80% of adults do not meet physical activity recommendations Canadian physical activity guidelines.
“Physical activity is one of the most important ways to maintain or improve functional independence, including among older adults who are frail or considered at increased risk for falls,” writes Dr. Jane Thornton, Associate Professor at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, and Director of Health, Medicine and Science at the International Olympic Committee.
Higher levels of physical activity in old age are associated with improvements in cognition, mental health and quality of life.”
Dr. Jane Thornton, Associate Professor, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University
A 2023 meta-analysis of several large studies found that 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week reduced the risk of death from any cause by 31%. Physical activity is essential for healthy aging and can help prevent or reduce disease in more than 30 chronic conditions, such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoporosis, depression, dementia and cancer.
Benefits of activity include:
- Protection against the risk of death from any cause
- Fall prevention through increased muscle strength and better balance
- Bone and joint health, including improved bone density and relief of some symptoms of osteoarthritis
- Improved cognitive function and better mood and mental health
- Ability to participate in daily activities and improved quality of life
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity weekly for adults, including older adults.
How can doctors prescribe physical activity?
“As many older adults live with chronic health conditions or limited mobility, physicians should tailor and encourage them to take a gradual approach to increasing their physical activity, which should include resistance training (muscle strengthening) as an essential component,” said Dr. Samir. Sinha, professor of medicine at the University of Toronto and director of health policy research, National Institute on Aging.
The WHO’s 5-step framework – called the ‘5A’s’ – can provide doctors with a roadmap to promote activity in their patients. The authors also suggest entering physical activity in patient records as an essential sign to be monitored over time.
“Physical activity is underused as a health intervention, both in the community and in the delivery of health care to older adults. Age, frailty, or existing functional limitations should not be viewed as absolute contraindications to physical activity, but rather as important reasons to to prescribe it.” considering the benefits of physical activity interventions for older adults who become more physically active can potentially add years to their lives as well as a higher quality of life,” the authors conclude.