Abstract
Background
Physical exercise has been linked to reduced frailty, but there is insufficient evidence of beneficial effects in community-dwelling older adults with subjective cognitive concerns.
Objective
This study aimed to clarify the effects of physical exercise in this population.
Design
Single-blind randomised controlled trial.
Setting
Community sports centres.
Participants
Residents aged 65–85 years were screened using the Kihon checklist; those with subjective cognitive concerns were invited for eligibility assessment. In total, 415 community-dwelling older adults were enrolled and randomised.
Methods
This trial investigated the effects of aerobic training (AT), resistance training (RT) and combined training (AT+RT) programs on reducing frailty. All participants were randomised into one of the three intervention groups or the control group. Participants in the intervention groups underwent a group training program and self-paced home training for 26 weeks. The control group received lectures about health promotion. A 95-item frailty index (FI) was utilised to determine the effects of training. Participants were followed up at weeks 26 and 52.
Results
At baseline, mean age of all participants (47% women) was 72.3 ± 4.6 years, with a mean FI score of 0.3 ± 0.1. Compared with control group, AT improved total FI by 0.020 (CI −0.039 to −0.001, effect size −0.275) and the depression and anxiety component of FI by 0.051 (CI −0.084 to −0.018, effect size −0.469) at week 26, but the effects waned at week 52. No significant differences in FI were found in RT and AT+RT groups at weeks 26 and 52.
Conclusions
A 26-week AT reduced frailty modestly, especially in the depression and anxiety component, in older adults with subjective cognitive concerns.
Exposure to recipes in a food-based approach to increase egg and protein intake in community-dwelling older adults: a randomised controlled trial
