Exercise Intensity Not Tied to Death Risk in Older Adults

Exercise intensity makes no difference to the risk of death among older adults, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the journal The BMJ. Physical activity can improve the health of people of all ages, and data from observational studies reveal that early death is significantly decreased in physically active compared with inactive people.

Yet, there is no proper evidence-based study to prove the potential relationship between current advice on physical activity levels and longevity.

A new study set out to assess the effect of 5 years of supervised exercise training compared with recommendations for physical activity on death in older adults (70-77 years).

The trial included 1,567 members, both men, and women, with an average age of 73 years. In total, 87.5 percent of participants stated overall good health, and 80 percent reported a medium or high level of physical activity at the start of the trial.

The participants were divided into 3 groups, of which one group was assigned for sessions of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and the other for moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT). The third group remained as a control group.

After five years, the overall death rate was 4.6 percent. The researchers found no significant difference in all-cause mortality between the control and combined HIIT and MICT groups.

"This study implies that combined MICT and HIIT have no effect on all-cause mortality compared with recommended physical activity levels," state the researchers.

Source-Medindia