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 study from McMaster University showed. The findings, which are particularly favorable for women, highlight the powerful role that consistent, age-appropriate exercise can play in helping older adults improve health and maintain function as they age.

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 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 participant 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.

The researchers found that 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,” said coauthor Angelica McQuarrie.

Coauthor Stuart Phillips, director of PACE, added, “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. 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."

To download the study, published in Exercise Sport & Movement, click here