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Aerobic exercise in the elderly: a key to successful aging
1Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. flegj@nhlbi.nih.gov
Discovery Medicine
|April 3, 2012
Summary
Maximal aerobic exercise capacity declines with age, especially with common elderly conditions. However, exercise training significantly improves aerobic capacity and overall health in older adults, despite low participation rates.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Exercise Physiology
- Cardiovascular Health
Background:
- Maximal aerobic exercise capacity naturally declines with adult aging, accelerating in later years.
- This decline is worsened by comorbidities prevalent in older adults, including cardiac, pulmonary, and peripheral artery diseases.
- Low participation rates in exercise programs are a significant challenge for older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize the effects of exercise training on aerobic capacity and health in older adults.
- To highlight the benefits of exercise interventions in both healthy aging and disease states.
- To address the challenge of increasing exercise participation among the elderly.
Main Methods:
- Review of observational studies on aging and aerobic capacity.
- Analysis of training studies investigating exercise interventions in older adults.
- Examination of exercise effects on various health parameters and quality of life.
Main Results:
- Exercise training demonstrably improves peak oxygen consumption (aerobic capacity) in older adults, irrespective of health status.
- Significant positive impacts of exercise training were observed on blood pressure, lipid profiles, glucose tolerance, bone density, and mood.
- Exercise interventions also enhance the overall quality of life for elderly individuals.
Conclusions:
- Exercise training is a potent intervention to counteract age-related decline in aerobic capacity and improve health outcomes in older adults.
- Despite proven benefits, increasing participation in exercise programs for the elderly remains a critical public health goal.
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