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Older Adults Benefit from Physical Activity
Grant Tribunal Sentinel
June 18, 2009
For many adults, growing older seems to involve an inevitable loss of strength, energy, and fitness. But it need not be so. The frail health and loss of function associated with aging, such as difficulty walking long distances, climbing stairs, or carrying groceries, is in large part due to physical inactivity.
When it comes to muscles and physical fitness, the old adage applies: Use it or lose it.
Yet with physical activity and aging, there is lots of good news:
First, its never too late to become physically active. No one is too old to enjoy the benefits of regular physical activity (U.S. HHS, 1996).
In fact, older Americans have more to gain than younger people by becoming more active. Older people are at higher risk for the health problems that being active can prevent.
In addition, physical activity can be an important part of managing problems that might already be present, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or elevated cholesterol.
Finally, physical activity can improve the ability to function well and remain independent in spite of health problems. Few factors contribute as much to successful aging as having a physically active lifestyle.
People need not spend hours a day in vigorous activity to obtain health benefits. Significant health benefits can be obtained by including a moderate amount of physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week.
Spending at least 30 minutes in moderate activity, such as a brisk walk or raking leaves, on all or most days of the week has remarkable health benefits for older adults (U.S. HHS, 1996).
Millions of Americans, most of them older adults, suffer from chronic illnesses that can be prevented or improved through regular physical activity.
Lack of physical activity is an important contributor to many of the most important chronic diseases for older Americans, including heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, and high blood pressure. Lack of physical activity, along with poor nutrition, is a major contributor to the growing epidemic of obesity in the United States.
Few older adults achieve the minimum recommended 30 or more minutes of moderate physical activity on five or more days per week.
Health Benefits of Regular Physical Activity
Regular physical activity has beneficial effects on most (if not all) organ systems, and consequently it prevents a broad range of health problems and diseases. Physical activity in older persons produces three types of health benefits:
It can reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease.
It can aid in the management of active problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, or high cholesterol.
It can improve the ability to function and stay independent in the face of active problems like lung disease or arthritis.
Although the benefits of physical activity increase with more frequent or more intense activity, substantial benefits are evident even for those who report only moderate levels of activityi.e. washing a car for 60 minutes, raking leaves for 30 minutes, or brisk walking or swimming for 20 minutes.
All of the benefits of physical activity are especially important for older men and women since they are more likely to develop chronic diseases and are more likely to have conditions such as arthritis that can affect their physical function.
Regular physical activity has beneficial effects on a variety of health outcomes, effects that are supported by consistent scientific evidence. These include:
Lower overall mortality. Benefits were greatest among the most active persons but were also evident for individuals who reported only moderate activity.
Lower risk of coronary heart disease. The cardiac risk of being inactive is comparable to the risk from smoking cigarettes.
Lower risk of colon cancer.
Lower risk of diabetes.
Lower risk of developing high blood pressure. Exercise also lowers blood pressure in individuals who have hypertension.
Lower risk of obesity.
Improved mood and relief of symptoms of depression.
Improved quality of life and improved functioning.
Improved function in persons with arthritis.
Lower risk of falls and injury.
Additional possible benefits of physical activity (research is less consistent) include:
Lower risk of breast cancer.
Prevention of bone loss and fracture after the menopause.
Lower risk of developing depression.
Improved quality of sleep.
Of greater importance to older adults, regular physical activity sustains the ability to live independently. Research has shown that virtually all older adults can benefit from regular physical activity.
In particular, the mobility and functioning of frail and very old adults can be improved by regular physical activity. The large potential ability of regular physical activity to prevent chronic diseases and sustain active living means that an active lifestyle is a key component of healthy and successful aging.
In those older adults with chronic diseases, physical activity can play an important role in treatment. Physical activity is effective in treating cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic lung disease, diabetes, obesity, and osteoarthritis.
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