Question

How important is Physical activity & exercise for older adults? What are the recommendations?

Answer 1

Answer: Physical inactivity is a major contributor to mortality worldwide, around 3 million mortality per year is being attributed to physical inactivity. There is evidence from high-quality studies to strongly support the positive association between increased levels of physical activity, exercise participation and improved health in older adults. With increasing age, there is an increased risk of developing non-communicable chronic health conditions. Five leading risk factors for death in old adults are high blood pressure, smoking, high blood glucose, physical inactivity, and obesity. A glance at these risk factors reveals that high blood pressure and glucose levels, as well as obesity, are connected with physical inactivity. Alongside the increasing incidence of these risk factors with aging, there is a decline in many physiological systems such as loss of muscle mass, a decline in balance ability, a reduction in muscle strength and endurance and a decline in cognitive performance etc. Regular exercise is associated with a decreased chance of death disability from pathologies such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and pulmonary disease. Increasing physical activity levels is the most important intervention to improve health in populations.

Physical activity and exercise is medicine for older adults. The amount of physical activity you need to do each week depends on your age and level of health. To stay healthy or to improve health, older adults need to do two types of physical activity each week: aerobic and Yoga activity. Older adults aged 65 or older, who are generally fit and have no health conditions that limit their mobility, should try to be active daily. It's recommended that adults aged 65 or older do at least 20 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days. Some activity, however light, is better for health than none at all. Aim to active every day in as many ways as possible, doing a range of physical activities that incorporate fitness, strength, balance and flexibility. Engaged in day to day life physical activity that has an energy cost, such as housework, gardening, shopping and structured exercise programs.

Recommendations: It’s very important to understand and communicate the benefits of physical activity for older adults. Moderate type of exercise and physical activities are recommended in older adults.

Exercise type: The best exercise type is a multicomponent training composed of muscle strength and cardiorespiratory endurance exercises as the core components. Other exercise types, particularly flexibility and balance, should be added to the exercise program whenever possible. Examples of activities that require moderate effort for most people include: walking fast, aerobics, dancing, riding a bicycle on level ground or with a few hills, playing doubles tennis, volleyball etc.

Exercise intensity: Moderate-intensity exercises are feasible, effective and safe. Moderate exercises can be achieved by performing: (1) Strength. one or two sets of exercises, performed at 13-15 repetitions maximum; (2) Exercises that noticeably increase heart and respiratory frequency, without generating breathlessness or undue fatigue, high-intensity exercises can be executed.

Frequency: Twice a week, with an interval of at least 48hrs between sessions. Higher weekly frequency is safe and may be feasible for fitter residents.

Physical activities: Gardening, Home activities, General kitchen activity (cooking, washing dishes, cleaning up), Locomotor activities (Stair climbing, slow pace, Walking, Loading/unloading a car, implied walking).