EXERCISE PROVIDES A NUMBER OF BENEFITS TO OLDER ADULTS

Exercise and other forms of physical activity offer a number of physiologic and psychosocial benefits to older adults, as well as maintenance of day-to-day functioning.

These findings will be presented at the intersociety meeting of the American Physiological Society in Portland, ME

Portland, ME—The decline in mortality among older people has contributed substantially to gains in overall life expectancy. An important question now is whether this new longevity will be accompanied by a healthy, independent, functioning lifestyle, says Loretta DiPietro, Ph.D.

Dr. DiPietro, of the John B. Pierce Laboratory and Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Yale University School of Medicine, will speak about the benefits of exercise for the elderly at the intersociety meeting of the American Physiological Society. The meeting, "The Integrative Biology of Exercise," is being held September 20-23, 2000 in Portland, ME.

Background: The number of persons in the United States aged 65 years and older currently numbers about 31 million, and is expected to approach 60 million by 2025, a jump from 12 to 20 percent of the total population. As the population ages, of increasing interest now is the study of physical function in older people, especially since the  maintenance of functional abilities is the pathway to delaying more serious physical problems and death. Exercise and other forms of physical activity are known to provide a number of specific physiologic and psychosocial benefits to older adults; less is known, however, about the relationship between physical activity and the maintenance of day-to-day functioning.

A review of the literature on the subject reveals that moderate and higher levels of physical activity are associated with the maintenance of more basic components of physical function, as well as with more complex tasks or goal-oriented functions of healthy older adults.

Moreover, physical activity is also associated with better functioning even among older people who already suffer from chronic disease. Recent health recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the American College of Sports Medicine call for incorporating at least 30 minutes of any activity into the daily schedule.

Regular participation in activities of moderate intensity (such as walking, gardening, biking, house/yard word), which increase daily energy expenditure and help to promote muscular strength, flexibility, coordination, and endurance should be encouraged as a means of preserving physical function and independence for seniors.

***

The American Physiological Society is devoted to fostering scientific research, education, and the dissemination of scientific information. By providing a spectrum of physiological information, the Society strives to play a role in the progress of science, and the advancement of knowledge. Providing current, usable information to the physiological community is the Society's primary focus.

Editor's Note: For further information or to schedule an interview, contact Donna Krupa at 703.527.7357; cell: 703.967.2751; or at djkrupa1@aol.com; or visit the APS website at www.the-aps.org.