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Trajectories of cardio‐metabolic health in successful aging
Author(s) -
Dela Flemming,
Finkenzeller Thomas,
Ingersen Arthur,
Pötzelsberger Birgit,
Müller Erich
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/sms.13370
Subject(s) - cardiorespiratory fitness , medicine , glycemic , vo2 max , physical therapy , physical fitness , cardiovascular fitness , gerontology , diabetes mellitus , physiology , blood pressure , endocrinology , heart rate
Maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O 2max ) and muscle mass decrease with age. The loss of cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength is accelerated with physical inactivity and has well‐documented consequences for morbidity and all‐cause mortality. Participation in exercise training programs will improve one or more of the cardio‐metabolic risk factors, but the long‐term effects of such programs are questionable. Here, we re‐examined 25 old (72 ± 4 years.) men and women who considered him/herself as “success‐full agers” and were participants in a 3‐month alpine skiing training program 6 years earlier. The program focused on healthy aging and included health questionnaires, measurement of lipids and glycemic parameters in blood and a VO 2max test. Thirteen and 12 subjects were in the intervention ( IG ) and the control group ( CG ), respectively. In response to the training program, subjects improved their cardio‐metabolic risk factors. However, after 6 years all positive effects had disappeared. Approximately 80% of the subjects had total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol above and HDL cholesterol below the recommended values, but these subjects remained the most metabolically deteriorated, including an increase in fasting glucose concentrations. We conclude that people seem to follow their individual trajectory in terms of cardio‐metabolic risk factors, and participation in a relatively short lasting exercise training program with emphasis on healthy aging does not change that. Long‐lasting change in lifestyle probably requires a continued attentional focus, goal setting, and feedback.