Effects of Training and Detraining on Physical Fitness, Physical Activity Patterns, Cardiovascular Variables, and HRQoL after 3 Health-Promotion Interventions in Institutionalized Elders

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of different strategies of health on the levels of physical activity (PA), physical fitness (PF), cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and quality of life (QoL) of the institutionalized elderly. Concurrently studies were made of the effect of detraining on these same variables. In this investigation we carried out a prospective longitudinal study with an experimental design, with 1 year plus 3 months of a detraining period. Methodology. (a) A questionnaire with socio-demographic characteristics and a QoL scale (MOS SF-36); (b) Functional Fitness Test to assess PF; (c) An MTI Actigraph to evaluate the PA; (d) Biochemical analysis of blood, blood pressure and bio-impedance. The Main Results Indicated That: (i) ST significantly improved strength and body flexibility and AT the aerobic endurance, agility/dynamic balance and lower strength and flexibility; (ii) Implications of detraining were more evident on the PA groups in the lower body flexibility, which is associated with agility/dynamic balance and lower strength in the AT group; (iii) Cardiovascular variables improved significantly especially blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose in the ST and HDL in the AT group; not having undergone significant changes with the detraining. The results of this thesis contribute positively to highlight the importance of PA in the promotion of health, prevention and reduction of CVD risk factors and the improvement of the PF and QoL.

Measurement of physical activity in older adult interventions: a systematic review

“…Of the 12 studies that utilised objective measures, 6 used hip accelerometers,29 49 52 62 68 71 2 used wrist accelerometers56 65 and four studies used pedometers 30 33 39 67. Additionally, two studies used direct observation as a secondary measure of PA (hip accelerometry was the primary measure in both these studies) 52 62.…”

“…The remaining two studies that employed multiple measures used direct observation,52 62 as previously mentioned. Studies using objective measures ranged in sample size from 15 participants to 280 29 30 33 39 49 52 56 62 65 67 68 71. Among studies using accelerometers to investigate PA behaviour, sample sizes ranged from 23 to 280,38 57 59 63 68 70 72 and sample sizes among studies utilising pedometers also varied (15–263 participants) 30 39 42 48…”

“…Of the six studies that measured PA with hip accelerometers, two studies used the RT329 71 and two studies used the MTI Actigraph;49 68 the other two studies used the Caltrac Motion Sensor62 and the Caltrac Personal Activity Monitor 52. Neither study that measured PA with wrist accelerometers used the same device.…”

“…Citations for reliability were found for 59% of the measures used across studies (43% of objective measures and 65% of self-report),28 29 31–35 37 39 41 43–47 55 57–59 61 63 64 66–68 70 71 and citations for validity were given for 63% of the measures (50% of objective measures and 68% of self-report) 28 29 31–36 39 41 43–47 49 55 57–61 63 64 66–68 70 71. Of the citations for reliability, 100% of the studies using objective measures cited a measurement study,29 33 39 67 68 71 while 88% of the self-report cited a measurement study 28 31–35 37 39 43–47 55 57 58 59 61 64 66.…”

“…Of the citations for reliability, 100% of the studies using objective measures cited a measurement study,29 33 39 67 68 71 while 88% of the self-report cited a measurement study 28 31–35 37 39 43–47 55 57 58 59 61 64 66. Measurement studies for validity were cited for 100% of the studies using objective measures29 33 39 49 67 68 71 and 88% of the self-report methods 28 29 31–37 39 43–47 55 57 58–61 64 66…”