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BioMed Research International

Volume 2018, Article ID 7856823, 3 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7856823

Editorial
The Importance of Physical Activity Exercise among
Older People

Birgitta Langhammer ,1 Astrid Bergland,2 and Elisabeth Rydwik3,4

1
Oslo Metropolitan University, Faculty of Health Sciences and Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Oslo, Norway
2
Oslo Metropolitan University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo, Norway
3
Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Huddinge, Sweden
4
Stockholm County Council, Research and Development Unit for the Elderly, Järfälla, Sweden

Correspondence should be addressed to Birgitta Langhammer; [email protected]

Received 22 November 2018; Accepted 22 November 2018; Published 5 December 2018

Copyright © 2018 Birgitta Langhammer et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly
cited.

In this special issue of BioMed Research International, the near the limit of the maximum capacity to challenge the body
focus is on lifestyle and in particular physical activity (PA) systems sufficiently, to induce improvements in physiological
as a driver for a healthy and long life for older people. parameters such as VO2max and muscular strength [1].
As populations continue to extend life expectancy, a Improvements in mental health, emotional, psycholog-
central concern is whether the added time comprises years ical, and social well-being and cognitive function are also
of healthy life and promotes a high health-related quality associated with regular PA. Despite these health benefits, PA
of life into old age. PA is defined as any bodily movement levels amongst older adults remain below the recommended
produced by skeletal muscles that result in energy expendi- 150 min/week [9]. The crude global prevalence of physical
ture. PA encompasses exercise, sports, and physical activities inactivity is 21.4% [10]. This translates to one in every four
performed as part of daily living, occupation, leisure, or to five adults being physically inactive, or with activity levels
active transportation. Exercise is a subcategory of PA that is lower than the current recommendations from WHO [11].
planned, structured, and repetitive and that has as a final or Inactivity and aging increase the risk of chronic disease, and
intermediate objective for improvement or maintenance of older people often have multiple chronic conditions (NFH,
physical fitness. Physical function is the capacity of an individ- 2010). The exercise recommendations from WHO include
ual to perform the physical activities of daily living. Physical both aerobic exercise and strength exercise as well as balance
function reflects motor function and control, physical fitness, exercises to reduce the risk of falls. If older adults cannot
and habitual PA [1]. follow the guidelines because of chronic conditions, they
PA is a protective factor for noncommunicable diseases should be as active as their ability and conditions allow [12].
such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and some It is important to note that the recommended amount of PA
types of cancer [2] and PA is associated with improved mental is in addition to routine activities of daily living like self-care,
health [3], delay in the onset of dementia [4], and improved cooking, and shopping, to mention a few.
quality of life and wellbeing [5, 6]. The health benefits of PA Inactivity is associated with alterations in body compo-
are well documented with higher levels and greater frequency sition resulting in an increase in percentage of body fat and
of PA being associated with reduced risk and improved health a concomitant decline in lean body mass. Thus, significant
in a number of key areas [7]. loss in maximal force production takes place with inactivity.
The dose of PA or exercise is described by the duration, Skeletal muscle atrophy is often considered a hallmark of
frequency, intensity, and mode [8]. For optimal effects, the aging and physical inactivity. Sarcopenia is defined as low
older person must adhere to the prescribed exercise program muscle mass in combination with low muscle strength and/or
and follow the overload principle of training, i.e., to exercise low physical performance [13]. Consequently, low physical
2 BioMed Research International

performance and dependence in activities of daily living subsequent changes in executive control [29]. In the paper of
is more common among older people [14, 15]. However, M. A. McCaskey et al. “Making More of IT: Enabling Intensive
strength training has been shown to increase lean body mass MOtor Cognitive Rehabilitation Exercises in Geriatrics Using
[16], improve physical performance [17, 18], and to a lesser INFORMATION Technology Solutions,” the authors also
extent have a positive effect on self-reported activities of include new technology to enhance and maintain exercise in
daily living [18]. These aspects are at focus in the papers cognitive rehabilitation.
of K. Kropielnicka et al. “Influence of the Physical Training In order to attain a high level of cardiorespiratory fitness,
on Muscle Function and Walking Distance in Symptomatic it is recommended to be physically active for 6 months
Peripheral Arterial Disease in Elderly” as well as G. Piastra or longer. These recommendations may also be applied to
et al. “Effects of Two Types of 9-Month Adapted Physical balance exercises in order to reduce falls [23]. Many elderly
Activity Program on Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength, and individuals are incapable of sustaining activities for this
Balance in Moderate Sarcopenic Older Women.” long on their own. Successful maintenance of PA typically
Participation in PA and exercise can contribute to main- requires substantial support and supervision. Even then, a
taining quality of life, health, and physical function and high percentage of people drop out due to difficulties negoti-
reducing falls [19–21] among older people in general and ating everyday costs of activity participation like scheduling
older people with morbidities in particular. The increased conflicts and competing sedentary activities or health issues.
attention to the relationship between exercise and HRQOL This issue is highlighted in the study of T. Adachi et al.
in older adults over the last decade is reflected in a recent “Predicting the Future Need of Walking Device or Assistance by
review, which showed that a moderate PA level combining Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity: A 2-Year Prospective
multitasking exercise components had a positive effect on Study of Women Aged 75 Years and Above.”
activities in daily living, highlighting the importance of In addition, reduced bodily functions can make it difficult
physical, mental, and social demands [22]. To reduce falls, for elderly persons to maintain exercise under different
balance training is also recommended to be included in environmental circumstances, which is demonstrated in the
physical exercise programs for older adults [12]. Exercise has contribution of B. N. Balmain et al. “Aging and Thermoreg-
also been shown to reduce falls with 21%, with a greater effect ulatory Control: The Clinical Implications of Exercising under
of exercise programs including challenging balance activities Heat Stress in Older Individuals.”
for more than 3 hours/week [23]. In this special issue, we have included papers that focus
The gender perspective and motivators for fall prevention on the aging process and PA in a broad perspective, focusing
are at focus in M. Sandlund et al. qualitative study “Gen- on different aspects on PA, exercise, and older people. PA and
der Perspective on Older People’s Exercise Preferences and exercise play an important role in the primary, secondary,
Motivators in the Context of Falls Prevention: A Qualitative and tertiary prevention, in the management of diseases, to
Study,” in this special issue. counteract sarcopenia and falls as well as improving physical
Exercise training in older people has been associated with performance and activities of daily living, as these papers
health benefits such as decreased cardiovascular mortality illustrate.
[24]. Explanatory mechanism likely to be involved following Promoting exercise among the older population is an
exercise was a change in the cardiac autonomic balance important public health and clinical issue. A core issue is how
producing an increase, or a relative dominance, of the vagal to get older people with comorbidities to exercise.
component [25]. Furthermore, endurance exercise training in
older people decreases resting and submaximal exercise heart Conflicts of Interest
rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure and increases
stroke volume [26]. This is especially notable during peak The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
effort in which stroke volume, cardiac output, contractility,
and oxygen uptake are increased, while total peripheral Birgitta Langhammer
resistance and systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased. Astrid Bergland
Thus lowering after-load in the heart muscle, which in turn Elisabeth Rydwik
facilitates left ventricular systolic and diastolic function,
emphasizes the importance of high intensity training also References
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BioMed Research International 3

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