Combined exercise and dietary intervention to optimize body composition in aging

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Exercise Physiology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Aging is characterized by loss of muscle and bone mass and increased fat.
• Interventions combining diet and exercise are being explored to mitigate these age-related body composition changes.
• Previous studies show mixed results depending on the population and intervention type.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the effects of various dietary and exercise interventions on body composition in older adults.
• To assess the efficacy of different nutritional and exercise strategies in modifying age-related muscle, bone, and fat mass changes.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent investigations on dietary and exercise interventions in older adults.
• Analysis of studies involving nutritional supplements, weight-lifting, aerobic training, and resistance training.
• Examination of outcomes on muscle mass, bone density, and adipose tissue.

Main Results:

• Complete nutritional supplements with weight-lifting augmented muscle/fat gains in healthy older men but not frail elders.
• Protein supplementation alone did not improve muscle function or mass in healthy elderly weight lifters.
• Calcium supplementation with aerobic training benefited cortical bone density; exercise alone increased vertebral bone density.
• Resistance training during hypocaloric dieting increased lean mass and decreased fat mass in obese elderly individuals.
• Low-protein diets led to muscle atrophy in older women.

Conclusions:

• Diet and exercise interventions have complex and varied effects on aging body composition.
• Resistance training appears promising for preserving lean mass and reducing fat, especially when combined with appropriate diets.
• Further long-term studies are needed to optimize diet and exercise combinations for healthy aging in the elderly.