Independence: a new reason for recommending regular exercise to your patients

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Exercise Physiology
• Aging and Physical Function

Background:

• Physical activity offers numerous health benefits, including increased longevity and reduced chronic disease risk.
• A key benefit is mitigating age-related decline in physical capacity, crucial for maintaining independence.
• Maximal aerobic power decreases significantly with age, impacting functional independence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the impact of physical activity on age-related decline in physical capacity.
• To highlight the role of exercise in preserving maximal aerobic power and independence.
• To quantify the potential delay in institutional support through regular physical activity.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of age-related changes in maximal aerobic power.
• Comparison of physical capacity decline in sedentary versus active individuals.
• Estimation of the effect of physical activity on functional independence thresholds.

Main Results:

• Maximal aerobic power declines by approximately 5 mL/ [kg x min] per decade.
• Independence is compromised when maximal oxygen intake drops below 18 mL/ [kg x min] (men) or 15 mL/ [kg x min] (women).
• Regular physical activity can increase maximal oxygen transport by 5-10 mL/ [kg x min].

Conclusions:

• Physical activity is vital for counteracting age-related physical decline.
• Exercise can significantly extend the period of functional independence.
• Regular physical activity can postpone the need for institutional care by 10-20 years.