Exercise frequency, health risk factors, and diseases of the elderly.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of exercise frequency on various diseases and risk factors of the elderly.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of a randomized controlled 18-month exercise trial.

SETTING

University ambulatory group setting.

PARTICIPANTS

Community-dwelling women aged ≥65 years (N=162) in the area of Northern Bavaria.

INTERVENTION

Mixed, intense aerobic, resistance, and balance protocol for 18 months. Subjects were retrospectively subdivided into 2 groups according to their effective attendance over 18 months (>1-<2 vs ≥2-4 sessions/wk).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Bone mineral density (BMD), lean body mass, appendicular skeletal muscle mass by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, Framingham study-based 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, and number of falls by calendar method.

RESULTS

Significant differences between the low-frequency exercise group (LF-EG) and the high-frequency exercise group (HF-EG) were observed for lumbar spine BMD (HF-EG, 2.4%±2.8% vs LF-EG, 0.3%±2.2%; P<.001) and proximal femur BMD (HF-EG, 2.4%±2.8% vs LF-EG, -0.5%±1.6%; P=.014), lean body mass (1.6%±3.4% vs 0.3%±2.6%, P=.053), and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (0.9%±4.5% vs -1.3%±3.2%, P=.011). No differences between both exercise groups were observed for 10-year CHD risk (-1.94%±4.14% vs -2.00%±3.13%; P=.943) and number of falls (0.95±1.36 vs 1.03±1.21 falls/person). Comparing the LF-EG with the less active control group (n=47), only nonsignificant effects for fall number (P=.065) and 10-year CHD risk (P=.178) were evaluated.

CONCLUSIONS

Although this result might not be generalizable across all exercise types and cohorts, it indicates that an overall exercise frequency of at least 2 sessions/wk may be crucial for impacting bone and muscle mass of elderly subjects.