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Aerobics and strength based training prevent illness and promote physical fitness. Highly advisable for the elderly, to help them gain health that goes beyond the age-factor!

Old age is the phase of life that marks physical weakness, and sinking health. That health deteriorates with age is known to all and sundry, but it certainly is not completely inevitable. Yes! You read it right. It can be controlled. Proper physical exercise and a checked diet are key facilitators to help keep illness at bay; even in old aged men and women.Aerobics and strength-based trainings are two such programs for physical fitness that are known to improve bone health, increase muscle strength, better functioning of the heart, control cholesterol levels and ensure the overall well-being of an individual.

Health problems often associated with old age include: increase in body weight, body fat, abdominal fat, and deterioration of the lipid profile. Time spent engaging in sedentary activities also increases with age and is associated with obesity, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular diseases. Conversely, regular involvement in moderate to vigorous rounds of physically activity is documented as beneficial to the cardiovascular health. Accordingly, the weakening of the cardiovascular system associated with aging could be countered by increasing levels of physical activity and functional fitness.Considering the observed deterioration of the cardiovascular system and the metabolic profile that tends to accompany aging, it is important to know the potential benefits derived from the exercise. A recent study investigates the training effect of sixteen weeks of moderate intensity, progressive aerobic and strength-based training on metabolic health of older women and men.

Aerobic-based training and other strength based trainings have been proposed as effective mechanisms for improving cardiovascular protection. The study speculates that moderate intensity, progressive aerobic-based and strength-based training would improve metabolic health of older women and men. The results of the study indicate that the exercising group attained after treatment significant differences on body weight, waist circumference, body mass index, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and 6-minute walk distance.Recent data have shown decreases on resting blood pressure after prolonged endurance training, and strength-based training (Resistance Training). These positive effects caused by the physical training have been found to be more pronounced among hypertensive participants.Both exercise programs (i.e., aerobic and strength-based) resulted in positive changes in important cardiovascular risk factors. The training programs produced significant benefits on 6-minute walk distance. Moderate intensity aerobic-based and strength-based programs, with 16 weeks of duration, are enough to positively influence the metabolic health indicators of sedentary older women and men.

Reference:
Effects of aerobic and strength-based training on metabolic health indicators in older adults – A Study by Raul A Martins, Manuel T Veríssimo, Manuel J Coelho e Silva, Sean P Cumming, and Ana M Teixeira conducted at the University of Coimbra, Portugal and University of Bath, UK. For more information, please visit: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2912308/?tool=pubmed

Disclaimer: This article is written by a non-medical professional.