The key to healthy aging? Exercise might be the answer

Despite overwhelming benefits, physical activity remains in clinical care for older adults.

Study: More exercise, age good: prescribing physical activity for older adults. Image Credit: NDAB Creativity / Shutterstock.com

A recent study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal Investigates the health benefits of physical activity in the elderly.

How does physical activity reduce mortality?

In 2025, about 20% of Canadians will be 65 or older, with the number of elderly people than 85 years that are expected to increase triple by 2045. Although life expectancy has increased considerably in recent decades, about 66% of the older adults in Canada lives with two or more chronic conditions, reducing the quality of life of these older people.

Thirty minutes of moderately powerful physical activity for at least five days each week reduces the risk of death due to whatever cause by 31%, where these health benefits increase with greater duration of physical activity. As an alternative, lower levels of physical activity are associated with poorer health results, with an hour or 30-60 minutes of resistance exercise that reduces the mortality risk of an individual by 27% and 10-20% respectively.

Cardiorespiratory fitness and peaky capacity are associated with reduced mortality in persons aged 60 and older. In fact, peak movement capacity reflects the cardiovascular risk more accurately than traditional risk factors such as hypertension, smoking and diabetes mellitus.

Peak oxygen consumption (VO2) is a strong indicator of mortality. Improvements in VO2 have been observed in the elderly who complete moderate exercise for 90 minutes every week for 16-20 weeks. Improved handle strength, a common endpoint of strength -assessments, is also associated with lower mortality due to any cause in older adults.

Physical activity and healthy aging

Physical activity promotes functional independence, because older people who are physically fit can perform activities of daily life more easily (ADL). Physical activity has also been shown to improve the cognitive function, social identity and quality of life.

Physical activity, including strength training, supports muscle strength and mobility, while also preventing vulnerability. The current recommendations therefore advise all older people to maintain regular physical activity, even vulnerable people or people who are at risk of falls, because it promotes bone and muscle strength, coordination and balance.

Pilates and other core strength exercises are low impact, adjustable for both individual and group settings and require minimal space or specialized equipment. These training courses improve the balance, strength, flexibility and overall function, which reduces the risk of falling in older people.

Physical activity can also prevent and alleviate osteoarthritis-associated changes and symptoms, which influence 20% of the Canadians, in particular those of 65 years and older. A multicomponent regime including aerobic, weight training and vibration of the entire body can even prevent osteopenia, together with a healthy diet and medicine if necessary.

One in three older Americans reports a fall every year; However, existing evidence suggests that the risk of falling could be reduced by 21% with long -term exercise programs. Older adults with neurological or cardiometabolic disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), can benefit from the posture stability granted by physical activity; However, additional studies are needed to confirm this association.

Patients with an increased risk of falling must have individualized and gradually progressive training schedules. Although firm walking may not be recommended for these patients, interval training with high intensity with necessary precautions are considered safe and good tolerated.

Cognitive benefits

Physical activity improves the hormonal composition and vascularity of the brain and reduces inflammatory cytokines. As a result, physical activity improves cognitive function, can reverse the progression from mild to severe dementia and prevents the development of mild cognitive impairment.

With nearly 600,000 Canadians suffering from dementia in 2020, the role of physical activity in protecting the health of the brain must be recognized and used.

Reduction of chronic illness

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 150-300 minutes from moderate to powerful physical activity every week that is accompanied by resistance exercises and exercises twice a week to improve balance three times a week.

It has been shown that physical activity occurs heart failure, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and osteoporosis. In addition, physical activity can reduce the severity of existing diseases by improving functional independence and reducing the number of medicines or treatments required.

Despite these benefits, physical activity is usually not prescribed to patients. In fact, the current estimates indicate that more than 80% of adults are not sufficiently physically active on the basis of the Canadian guidelines for physical activities.

Higher quality of life

Physical activity and training groups can prevent loneliness and can promote the release of endorphins, improving mood and overall mental health in older adults. In institutions for long -term care, physical activity has positive effects on depression, anxiety and self -respect.

Older adults who exercise regularly have a better quality of life, even if they have an advertisement or suffer from depression. Increased time outside spent during forms of exercise, such as walking or swimming, further increases the positive effects of physical activity on mood and fear.

Promoting physical activity in older adults

The WHO has published a five -step framework to promote Pa, called the “5AS”. This framework includes assessing the status of physical activity, as well as risks and contraintications, advises on how much physical activity of which type should be done and how to reduce sedentary behavior helps with support strategies, determines the right goals for each Individual and arranges follow -Up visits.

Home -based or group exercises programs can be selected and adjusted based on the patient’s preferences. Talking about the importance of physical activity with people of the same age encourages older adults to start physical activity and to retain more effective than doing it yourself.

The under -utilization of physical activity

In the absence of guidance of clinics, additional research is needed to assess the relative effectiveness of follow-up aids, such as the inclusion of PA in vital sign evaluation over time or eHealth instruments. To prevent patients from being injured or chronic disorders, screening tools such as the physical activity questionnaire can be used, followed by evaluations of doctors.

Age, vulnerability or existing functional limitations should not be seen as absolute contraindications for physical activity, but rather important reasons for prescribing it. “