Community exercise helps older adults maintain fitness and strength

Older adults who regularly participated in a community-based exercise program were able to slow - and in many cases reverse - declines in cardio fitness and strength that naturally come with age, a new McMaster study shows. 

The findings, which are particularly favourable for women, highlight the powerful role that consistent, age-appropriate exercise can play in helping seniors improve health and maintain function as they age. 

The new knowledge is timely, as the proportion of people aged 65 and older is growing rapidly. 

For this study, published recently in the journal Exercise, Sport, and Movement, researchers followed a group of 124 older adults as they participated in the MacSeniors Exercise and Wellness Program at the university's Physical Activity Centre of Excellence (PACE). 

Over a five-year period, researchers at McMaster University monitored two critical long-term health indicators - cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength - which are key determinants of quality of life, functional independence, and risks of illness and death. 

Each person was encouraged to attend the program at least twice per week and complete a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per session (ideally 150 minutes per week), plus resistance training for every major muscle group, in keeping with national physical activity guidelines for older adults. 

Researchers found men experienced slower declines in cardiorespiratory fitness than expected, while women's cardiorespiratory fitness actually improved throughout the study. Both groups also maintained greater muscle strength than expected for their age. 

This is a period in life when many physiological systems are in decline. The fact that participants could maintain their function, lessen the expected age-related fitness changes and, in the case of females, reverse them, really underscores the importance of community-based exercise programs."

Angelica McQuarrie, co-author of the paper and Program Manager at PACE

McQuarrie designed the study with supervising author Maureen MacDonald, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology. 

"A supportive social environment plays a vital role in keeping older adults engaged, connected, and motivated to return," explains co-author and kinesiology PhD graduate Giulia Coletta. 

"When that environment is paired with an evidence-based program, it not only promotes safe and effective physical activity but also empowers older adults with the knowledge and confidence to exercise independently. This combination is key to fostering long-term health benefits." 

Evidence suggests that men and women experience a steady age-related decline in aerobic capacity after the age of 30, a trend that accelerates between the ages of 45 and 50 and continues into our 70s and 80s. 

Muscle strength, which helps reduce the risk of falls and disability in older adults, also declines over time. Evidence shows that muscle strength begins to decline as early as age 30 or 40, and the decline becomes more pronounced after 50. 

By age 40, respiratory muscle strength, which helps us to inhale and exhale, decreases about 8 to 10 per cent per decade, a decline that can have serious consequences for overall health and mobility. 

"These kinds of programs provide a sustainable, low-cost option for older adults where they are guided and monitored and can exercise with their peers in a friendly, non-intimidating environment," says co-author Stuart Phillips, director of PACE. 

"It's never too late to get started and the impact is significant in terms of the effect it will have on participants' daily lives," he says.