Fitness & Exercise for Senior Citizens

Aerobic Exercise Can Boost the Aging Mind as Well as Body Says Research

Helps boost cognitive processing speed, motor function and visual and auditory attention in healthy older people

April 21, 2008 - Aerobic exercise could give older adults a boost in brainpower, according to a recent review of studies from the Netherlands. Read more...more about different aerobic exercises.

Physical Activity Is Natural Pain Reliever for Arthritis in Senior Citizens, Boomers

Study says it is possible to manage arthritis pain by moving more

April 10, 2008 – It does not seem to make common sense – to exercise when suffering with joint pain – but a recent study in Arthritis Care and Research concludes that regular exercise is an effective way to “significantly” improve and manage arthritis pain. The study specifically measured results of the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program. Read more...

Senior Citizen Health & Medicine

Age Should Not be Factor in Who Gets ACL Repair, Study Finds

Success achieved in anterior cruciate ligament repair for Baby Boomers and older

March 5, 2008 - Baby boomers and Weekend warriors – Baby Boomers and senior citizens - are staying active well into their later years, making them susceptible to injuring those aging frames-especially vulnerable to tearing their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). A new study presented today at the 75th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), found that “boomers” and patients up to age 66, who undergo ACL surgery, are about as likely to return to pre-injury levels of activity as much younger people. Read more...

Travel for Senior Citizens & Baby Boomers

Obsidian Hikers Invite Senior Citizens to ‘Take a Hike’ During Olympic Trials

Bach Festival also happens as club hosts 22 hikes in western Oregon

Feb. 29, 2009 - The Obsidians outdoors club of Eugene, Oregon - mostly senior citizens - has announced a schedule of 22 hikes for visitors to this summer’s U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials and concurrent Oregon Bach Festival. Outings include 12 coastal, forest and mountain hikes and 10 urban hikes, presenting visitors an introduction to both the natural wonders of western Oregon and the unique attractions of Track Town, USA. Read more...

Fitness & Exercise for Senior Citizens

Men Who Are Active at Work May Have a Decreased Risk of Prostate Cancer

Continuous physical activity, not intermittent activity, is required to lower risk

Feb. 12, 2008 - Men with jobs that require them to be physically active may be getting benefits beyond salary and health insurance - they may be at a decreased risk of developing prostate cancer, according to a study at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center. There are many senior citizens who are retired, which may give them an even better opportunity for daily physical activity. Read more...

Hand-Held Computers Prod Older Adults to Exercise More, Stanford Study Shows

Researchers also evaluated the usefulness of PDAs in modifying dietary behavior

By ALISSA POH

Feb. 6, 2008 - Today’s younger generation may reckon that “ne’er the twain shall meet” where technology and their elders are concerned. However, ongoing research by Abby King, PhD, professor of health research and policy and of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, appears to be gradually dispelling that notion. Read more...

Being Physically Active in Leisure Time Leads to Being Biologically Younger

Or, sedentary lifestyles leads to accelerated aging process

Jan. 29, 2008 - Individuals who are physically active during their leisure time appear to be biologically younger than those with sedentary lifestyles, according to a report in the January 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Read more....

Researchers Find Cholesterol Helps Increase Muscle Gain from Exercise

Study of Older Adults Shows Cholesterol May Pose Benefits

Jan. 18, 2008-- If you're worried about high cholesterol levels and keeping heart-healthy as you get older, don't push aside bacon and eggs just yet. A new study says they might actually provide a benefit. Lower cholesterol levels can actually reduce muscle gain with exercising, according to a study from Texas A&M University. Read more...

Older Women Walking for Exercise Ease Anxiety, Stress and Depression

African-American women reap the greatest benefits with moderate physical activity.

Jan. 3, 2008 – One thing as certain as the new year, is the certainty of more research showing that exercise is extremely beneficial for aging women, beginning with menopause. A new study says a brisk walk can reduce a variety of psychological symptoms such as anxiety, stress and depression. Read more...

Older Adults Provided 20 Tips on Becoming More Physically Active in 2008

International Council on Active Aging offers help online for 50+

	New exercise tool for seniors. Read more in story.

Dec. 27, 2007 - It is rare for any health advice targeting senior citizens to not mention the importance of exercise – the tonic for healthy aging. The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) says not enough advice on how to make the necessary lifestyle changes for a new fitness or physical activity regime is aimed at older adults. The ICAA has prepared 20 tips for those 50 and older on how to get started. Read more...

Senior Citizens Can Avoid Dreaded, Deadly MetS With Brisk Walking

Rate of Metabolic Syndrome reduced by walking 11 miles a week

“… short period of very vigorous exercise didn't improve their MetS scores as much as those who performed less intense exercise a longer period.”

Dec. 17, 2007 – One of the things senior citizens do not want to have is a new buzz-word condition called “MetS.” That stands for metabolic syndrome, an increasingly frequent condition linked to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. A new study says just a little bit of brisk walking is enough to cut the risk of MetS, and to trim the waistline. Read more...

Advanced Age, Disabilities Do Not Stop Exercise that Improves Physical Function

Participants were 70 to 89, couch potatoes, physically disabled

Dec. 17, 2007 – Scientific studies continue to prove that older people – even in their eighties – can improve their lives with regular exercise. In the latest study the elderly participants were also couch potatoes with serious health problems. Read more...

Computer Calls Persuade Even Skeptical Old Couch Potatoes to Go Walking

Many of the participating adults in the study were over age 55

By Tracie White

Dec. 8, 2007 - Computer-generated phone calls may be an effective, low-cost way to encourage sedentary adults to exercise, according to a recent study by researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine. Read more...

Great News for Fatter Senior Citizens in Great Shape – It’s the Fitness that Counts

	Watch Video by JAMA

Study finds fitness level is a stronger predictor of longevity that body fat for older adults

Dec. 4, 2007 – Weight gain is often associated with aging and many senior citizens in good physical condition have assumed the worse about their health as the pounds continued to climb despite long-term rigorous exercise. A new study has brightened their day, however, with the discovery that adults over age 60 with high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness live longer than unfit adults, regardless of their body fat. Read more...

Pedometer Plus Walking Goals Motivate More Activity: Less Blood Pressure, Weight

Pedometer users increased their physical activity by 26.9 percent

Nov. 28, 2007 – An easy way to decrease your body mass index and blood pressure is to use a pedometer – especially with a daily step goal – which will motivate you to significantly increase your physical activity. An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association says the evidence from several studies shows participants will walk about an additional mile a day. Read more...link to video...

Senior Citizens Can Decide to Become More Active, Also Live Longer by Walking Faster

Two studies seem to prove that aging does not necessarily mean sedentary lifestyle

Nov. 16, 2007 – Too many senior citizens assume that becoming inactive - sitting around doing not much of anything most of the time - is just what happens with getting older. Two research reports out this month seem to prove this is just not true – life can be different with changing our mindset and, the second study finds, we will live longer if we just walk a little faster. Read more...

Severely Restricted Diet Leads to Physical Fitness into Old Age

Rats on restricted calorie diet had significantly higher physical performance

Oct. 31, 2007 – Although research has well established that a healthy diet is very beneficial to longevity, scientist say in a new study they have proven for the first time that severely restricting calories not only leads to a longer life, it also maintains physical fitness into advanced age. Read more...

Researchers Say It's Smurfs Causing Your Knee to Ache, May Predict Arthritis

Half with knee injury will later go on to develop osteoarthritis

Oct. 22, 2007 - A new clinical trial seeks to predict who is most likely to experience osteoarthritis, and to test whether an experimental treatment can prevent it altogether. Read more...

Exercise Does Help Senior Citizens Improve Balance Says Data from 34 Studies

Rising from a chair and standing on one leg is enough to help

Oct. 17, 2007 – It is not only the embarrassment of being unsteady on your feet as you get older, but there is the increase in the risk of a devastating fall for a senior citizen. Although many studies have indicated that exercise can help the elderly maintain balance, a new review of 34 studies confirms this to be true. Exercise does help people stay steady on their feet in later years, when diminished balance can put older people at risk of falls. Read more...

Osteoarthritis Pain Reduced Slightly by Exercising in Warm Water

Almost all senior citizens afflicted by age 70 with this chronic disease

Oct. 17, 2007 - For patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the hip or knee – primarily senior citizens - doing aerobic and stretching exercises in warm water can bring some relief from the pain and could improve daily function, a new review of research has found. Read more...

Senior Citizens Need More Exercise, Not Less, to Avoid Osteoarthritis

Study of physical activity impact on knee joint says exercise for heart is what's needed for knee

Sept. 8, 2007 – Physical exercise that is good for the heart, is also good for the older person’s knee, says research published in the October 2007 issue of Arthritis Care & Research. Sporting events for senior citizens sometimes looks like a gathering of mechanical robots, with all the gear and wrapping around their knees and other joints. It is osteoarthritis, however, that too often causes disability among those over age 50 but this study says vigorous exercise may prevent the problem. Read more...

Aerobic, Strength Training Greatly Improve Diabetes Numbers

Best results in blood sugar control is combined aerobic and resistance exercise

Sept. 18, 2007 – A combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training was the best help for people with type 2 diabetes on improving blood sugar control, according to the results of a new study. Diabetes is a major chronic disease among senior citizens and adults up to age 70 were included in this study. Read more...

Senior Citizens Get New Advice on Exercise from Heart Association, Sports Docs

1995 recommendations updated for seniors and younger adults

Aug. 6, 2007 – New recommendations for the physical activity senior citizens need to improve and maintain health were released last week from a joint effort of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and American Heart Association (AHA) to update the 1995 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and ACSM. A set was also released for younger adults. Read more...

Growing Exercise of Nordic Walking Providing Senior Citizens Health, Vitality

Hybrid exercise combines walking with cross country skiing for physical, psychological benefits for aging population

July 21, 2007 - At 5’9” and 285 pounds, Bob Saunders battled high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint pain, low energy and a host of other obesity-related symptoms. “I was dragging around, ready to call it quits,” says the 68-year-old Saunders, whose doctor warned him that his life was at risk. Read more...

Women, Arthritis Sufferers Recover More Slowly from Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Factors differ from long-term problems for older people, more severe tears

July 17, 2007 – Women and people with osteoarthritis do not recover as quickly from arthroscopic knee surgery, according to new research. These people are not associated with poor long-term recovery, which impacts those of advanced age, larger tears and larger tissue removal. The study was released Saturday at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. Read more...

Weight Training is Good and Safe Exercise Even for Heart Patients

American Heart Association updates previous 2000 opinion

July 17 – Once taboo for people with heart problems, resistance weight training actually has significant benefits for people with cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to an American Heart Association scientific statement published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Read more...

Senior Citizens Improve Driving Performance with Physical Conditioning

Drivers committed 37 percent fewer critical errors after training

June 5, 2007 – One answer to improving driving skills in senior citizens may be exercise. Older people who performed a physical conditioning program developed by researchers at Yale School of Medicine were able to maintain or enhance their driving performance, potentially leading to a safer and more independent quality of life. Read more...

Senior Citizens Improve Strength, Rejuvenate Muscle, Reverse Aging with Exercise

After training the strength of the older adults improved about 50%

May 30,2007 - Not only does exercise make most people feel better and perform physical tasks better, it now appears that exercise – specifically, resistance training -- actually rejuvenates muscle tissue in healthy senior citizens. It is one of two studies released this month proving the ability of exercise to ward off the debilitating effects of aging. Read more...

Growing Frail with Aging Can Be Avoided with Aerobic Exercise

Crucial muscle-building insulin response restored with a 45-minute walk

May 30, 2007 - Why do older people tend to lose muscle mass and grow frail? One important factor identified by medical science is the reduced ability of the elderly to respond to the muscle-building stimulus of the hormone insulin. New research, however, shows this drop in insulin response in senior citizens can be modified by just moderate aerobic exercise. Read more...

Obese, Sedentary Older Women Improve Fitness with Just a Little Activity

It just takes 72 minutes a week and you get a smaller waist, too

May 15, 2007 - Just small amounts of physical activity, approximately 75 minutes a week, can help improve the fitness levels for postmenopausal women who are sedentary and overweight or obese, according to a study in the May 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The women in the study also reduced waist circumference, although there was no significant weight loss. Read more...

Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors

Omega-3 from Fish Oil May Halt Muscle Loss in Senior Citizens, Athletes

Ability to convert food into muscle proteins decreases with age

May 9, 2007 – Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil have been found to benefit senior citizens in many areas associated with aging. Now, researchers have added one more - a big one. It appears to prevent the loss of muscle mass, which is the cause of many problems for the elderly. Read more...

Run 30 Miles a Week, You Still Add Weight with Aging, But Not As Much

Aging adds pounds with years, just less with exercise; good cholesterol does go up

By Tucker Sutherland, editor

May 4, 2007 – The lead sentence on the news release says, "People who maintain a vigorously active lifestyle as they age gain less weight than people who exercise at more moderate levels." Well, I'm not sure anyone needs a study to tell them this. But, it does contain some depressing news about aging – even if you run 30 miles a week for seven years you are still going to gain weight. Gaining weight, for the majority of us, is just going to happen. Adding years means adding pounds. Read more...

'Exercise pill' Switches on Gene Telling Cells to Burn Fat

Even on high-fat diet normal mice were resistant to weight gain

April 30, 2007 – Imagine taking a drug that causes your body to start burning fat as if you were taking part in vigorous exercise. It may not be ready for humans but a scientist says he has achieved this amazing result with mice. His hope is it will lead to prevent obesity and the health consequences for so many senior citizens, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Read more...

Some Seniors May Get Prescriptions for Exercise from Their Physician

New paper urges doctors to play role in getting patients active

April 5, 2007 – Some senior citizens may soon be getting a written prescription from their doctor that won't cost them or Medicare a nickel to fill. It will just take a little effort and determination. Two physicians have written a paper urging other doctors to prescribe exercise for inactive patients. The paper also presents some ideas for making it easier for patients to get started. Read more...

Practicing Tai Chi Provides Protection from Shingles for Older People

UCLA study finds significant increase in immune system

March 23, 2007 – Didn't get your shingles vaccination? Maybe tai chi chih will provide the protection you need from the painful, blistery rash of shingles. A new UCLA study says the Westernized version of this 2,000-year-old martial art significantly boosts the immune systems of older adults against the virus. Tai chi chih is characterized by slow movement and meditation. Read more...

Exercise Makes People Smarter, Slows Alzheimer’s, Reduces Stress

Newsweek focuses on ‘Health for Life – Exercise and the Brain’

March 19, 2007 - A recent and rapidly growing movement in science is showing that exercise can make people smarter, Newsweek reports in the current issue. Last week, in a landmark paper, researchers announced that they had coaxed the human brain into growing new nerve cells, a process that for decades had been thought impossible, simply by putting subjects on a three-month aerobic-workout regimen. Read more...

First Proof that Exercise Creates New Cells in Brain Area Affecting Age-Related Memory Loss

MRI imaging at Columbia provides first observation of new nerve cells

March 19, 2007 – A researcher that focuses on Alzheimer’s disease and the aging brain is the lead author of a newly released study that proves exercise actually creates new nerve cells in the area of the brain that affects age-related memory decline. Read more...

Second Massive Study Confirms Strenuous Exercise Prevents Breast Cancer

Study released today included women up to age 79

Feb. 26, 2007 – The second massive study finding strenuous physical activity can help women – even senior citizens – increase their resistance to invasive breast cancer by more than 20 percent was published today in the Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Over 125,000 women were studied in the two research projects and included women up to 79 years of age. Read more...

Senior Citizens Can Begin Exercise and Reduce Risk of Invasive Breast Cancer

Researchers say it's never too late to start active lifestyle

Feb. 15, 2007 – It makes no difference how old you are, researchers say six or more hours per week of strenuous recreational activity may reduce the risks of invasive breast cancer by 23 percent. Their report in the February issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, based on a survey of over 15,000 women, shows that exercise has a protective effect against invasive breast cancer throughout a woman’s lifetime. Read more...

Ten Ideas to Help Senior Citizens Out of Bed and into Exercising

Older people know value of exercise but slow to start

Feb. 12, 2007 – Virtually every senior citizen – people age 65 and older – knows that exercise is extremely beneficial in building and maintaining healthy bodies and minds. Yet, most fail to do it. Just getting started may be the biggest hurdle, but the medical director of the senior care facility claiming to house more 90-year olds than any other, has ten easy steps that he finds are working to get older people out of bed and moving. Read more...

Exercise Eliminated as Cause of Knee Osteoarthritis in Older People

Can be done safely without concerns they will develop OA

January 31, 2007 – Senior citizens who have ducked exercise because, they say, they fear developing osteoarthritis in their knees seem to have lost this excuse. A long-term study of older people has found that exercise does not increase the risk of OA in the knee, although obesity does. Read more...

Senior Citizens Less Likely Get Alzheimer's with Regular Exercise

Vigorous training works better to halt aging than moderate levels

January 29, 2007 – Fitness training – an increased level of exercise - may improve some mental processes even more than moderate activity, say the authors of the review of exercise and its effect on brain functioning in human and animal populations. They also found that physical exercise may slow aging’s effects and help people maintain cognitive abilities well into older age. Read more...

Experts ‘Weigh In’ on Popular Diet and Exercise Myths

Senior citizens increasingly turn to exercise, healthy diet as keys to rejuvenation

January 16, 2007 – Senior citizens are increasingly turning to exercise and healthier diets in an attempt to regain the vim and vigor of younger years. Many fail in this quest due to frustration, which may be due to misconceptions and bad information that floats around gyms, the Internet and even senior centers. Read more...

Senior Citizen Health & Medicine

Reduced Risk of Breast Cancer Noted in Older Women with Higher Physical Activity

Physical activity reduces body fat, the major source of estrogen in postmenopausal women

December 12, 2006 – Older women – post menopause - with higher levels of physical activity may have a reduced risk of breast cancer, according to a report in the December 11/25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The association appears to be stronger for estrogen receptor positive/progesterone receptor negative tumors (which are typically more aggressive) than for other types of breast cancer tumors. Read more...

Fitness & Exercise for Senior Citizens

Exercise Provides Significant Reduction in Lung Cancer Risk for Women Smokers

Almost half who have lung cancer surgery smoke again in a year, says another study

December 11, 2006 - A new study shows about half the smokers who had surgery to remove early stage lung cancers were smoking again within a year. Some also continued to smoke after their diagnosis right up to the day of their surgery. It's a tough addiction to break. But there is also good news in another new study: a high level of physical activity in women smokers reduced their relative risk of developing lung cancer by 72 percent. The lowest risks were seen in former smokers who had moderate or high activity levels. The study, however, strongly cautions that any exercise benefit is dwarfed by the benefits gained from quitting smoking. Read more...

Senior Citizens Gain Health, Independence, Balance with Exercise

Goal of study is prevention - keeping people out of nursing homes

November 22, 2006 - On your mark, get set, go! Senior citizens who acquaint themselves with that well-known mantra may live more independent lives, according to new research. "Exercise is one way of having a huge impact on our aging population," says lead researcher Abby King. Read more...

Even if Elderly Have Passed 80 They Can Regain Physical Function, Avoid Disability

Walking at a moderate intensity 150 minutes a week, leg stretches, balance exercises and leg-strengthening did the trick

November 17, 2006 – Even if you have passed 70, even if you passed 80, and you are what is called "sedentary" (tending to sit most of the time and getting little exercise), there is still hope to improve your physical functioning and reduce the likelihood of becoming disabled in the future. This is according to a new study of elderly people ages 70 to 89. Read more...

Is Diet or Exercise Best to Prevent Diabetes – Flip a Coin Says Study

Results are from research that is part of NIH-funded longevity study

November 8, 2006 – You are getting older. You see many of your friends suffering with diabetes. You know it is one of the leading causes of premature death. What is the best way to avoid it – exercise of diet? Read more...

Sit-Ups and Sundaes Don’t Mix: Diet with Exercise Works Best

24 studies find effective weight-loss needs exercise and diet

By Taunya English, Science Writer, Health Behavior News Service

October 27, 2006 - If you’re overweight and hoping to shed pounds, but still regularly indulging in french fries — don’t count on exercise to salvage your weight-loss efforts. To truly slim down, obese and overweight people need to watch what they eat and get moving, according to a new analysis of weight-loss trials dating back to 1985. Read more...

Older Women Reduce Breast Cancer Risk with Regular Exercise, Weight Control

High BMI, low physical-activity equals estrogen 50% to 100% higher

October 9, 2006 - Postmenopausal women who want to significantly decrease their breast-cancer risk would be wise to exercise regularly and keep their weight within a normal range for their height, according to new findings from the Women's Health Initiative to be published in the journal Obesity. Read more...

Doctors Should Prescribe Exercise for Older Adults for Better Health

Less than half report ever getting suggestion to exercise from doc

October 8, 2006 – Some experts on aging nutrition are recommending that doctors begin writing prescriptions for exercise for older people. The rationale is that senior citizens are accustomed to getting prescriptions from their doctor and using the familiar concept of a prescription to help physicians incorporate exercise recommendations into their routine practice will convince more to take action. Read more...

Colon Cancer Risk Significantly Reduced in Men by Regular Aerobic Exercise

Women in clinical trial did not have the same positive results

September 13, 2006 – Men who are up for at least four hours of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise a week can significantly reduce their risk of colon cancer, says a report from the first randomized clinical trial to test the effect of exercise on colon-cancer biomarkers in colon tissue. The results for women were less certain. Senior citizens are the most vulnerable to this disease, with nine of ten cases found in people age 50 and older. Read more...

Poorest Older Adults Most Likely to Feel Limits to Physical Activity

All under 85, even with incomes 6 times poverty level, much more likely to report functional limitations than wealthiest group

August 21, 2006 – "Sometimes life just beats you down," may be more fact than excuse. If you are old and poor, you are also far more likely to feel limited in doing basic physical activities – climbing stairs, lifting objects – than are your wealthier peers. The Americans in this study were both boomers and senior citizens ages 55 to 84. The study also finds that people 55 to 64, who are living below the poverty level, are six times more likely than the wealthiest group to say they have functional limitations. Read more...

Senior Citizen Health & Medicine

Waist-Hip Ratio Better Measure of Death Risk for Older People Than BMI

Study finds Body Mass Index not the best indicator of mortality

August 8, 2006 - Older people with high waist-hip ratios (WHRs) have a higher mortality risk than those with a high body mass index, or BMI, a new study reveals. This sheds further light on the controversial reports about obesity in the elderly and its relationship as a cause of death. Waist Hip Ratio is calculated by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement. (Read more about WHR below news story.) Read more...

Middle-Aged Women find it takes more than Diet to Reduce the Abdomen

Five-year study shows exercise decreased fat cells by 18 percent

August 7, 2006 – Middle-aged women who participated in a recent study found that it takes more than diet to reduce the size of abdominal fat cells – exercise should be added to the program. These mid-body fat cells are a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease. Read more...

'Nifty After Fifty' Opens First Franchise for Older Adult Fitness and Wellness

Features fitness, strength training, brain stimulation and even driving

August 4, 2006 – Older Americans – those over 50, to be exact – can look forward to a fitness and wellness center designed especially for their needs. Not only can participants improve their level of mental and physical fitness, but they can also resurrect their driving skills at the new "Nifty after Fifty." The first franchise has opened in Whittier, California. Read more...

Senior Citizens Can Lower Death Risk with Just More Daily Activity

Older adults who expend more energy through any daily activity live longer than less active elderly

July 11, 2006 – You may be old – even in your 70s or 80s – and just cannot make yourself exert the energy for regular exercise, but there is still hope for a longer life, says a new study, if you just expend more energy through daily activity, even non-exercise activity. Read more...

Senior Citizen Fitness & Exercise

Estrogen Loss is Culprit in Loss of Muscle Mass for Older Women

Women lose 10 to 15% of muscle mass between 20 and 50, then the decline accelerates: resistance exercise can help

July 8, 2006 – With the increase in longevity, women now live about a third of their lives after menopause and in an estrogen-depleted state. At has been believed that menopause plays a part in the loss of muscle mass in aging women. And, it is known inactivity can accelerate loss of muscle mass and strength as women age. A University of Missouri-Columbia researcher studied the effect of inactivity combined with the loss of estrogen and was surprised to find the real culprit is loss of estrogen. Read more...

Inability of Elderly to Walk Quarter-Mile is Predictor of Death, Poor Health

May 2, 2006 – Elderly people, who cannot walk 400 meters, or about a quarter mile, may not be here to try it six years from now and may suffer considerable illness and disability during that time, according to a study of senior citizens ages 70 through 79. Walking fitness makes a significant difference in predicting the likelihood of future disability in the elderly, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Read more...

Five Tips to Help Senior Citizens Begin Walking for Better Health

Once begun, people tend to stick with walking programs

May 1, 2006 - Walking isn’t such a difficult thing – most of us have been doing it since we were very young. But starting and maintaining a regular walking program can be daunting, especially for senior citizens, even though the benefits have been well documented. Read more...

Study May Explain Why Exercise Helps Heart Failure Patients

Training program may reverse underlying abnormalities more effectively than drug treatment

April 27, 2006 - Aerobic training is generally accepted as a path to feeling and functioning better for heart failure patients. A new study says this works because of a reversal of abnormal hormonal patterns that underlie many of the debilitating symptoms of heart failure. Read more...

Most People with Arthritis Don’t Get Enough Exercise

By Kelly Griffin, Contributing Writer
Health Behavior News Service

April 20, 2006 - People with arthritis don’t exercise enough, and more than a third of adults with arthritis don’t exercise at all, according to a study in the May issue of American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Read more...

Does Stretching Help Elderly Muscles – Only if NO is Producing

Cumulative muscle injury may contribute to the loss of muscle mass as we grow old

April 3, 2006 - If you're a mouse, then stretching before you exercise is a good thing – even as long as two weeks before your next cheese hunt or cat run. But if you're a senior citizen reading this for yourself, it's a bit more complicated. Read more...

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is Extremely Rare in Women During Exercise

Study of large group of mature women over 28 years says exercise may significantly lower risk

March 21, 2006 - Sudden cardiac death during exertion is an extremely rare occurrence in women, and regular moderate to vigorous exercise may significantly lower the long-term risk, according to a study in the March 22-29 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on women’s health. Thousands of women, including senior citizens, were studied over 28 years. Read more...

Declines in exercise capacity may be due to lack of training, not just aging

March 7, 2006 – Senior citizens, gasping for air and cursing their aging legs, watch with envy the young adults on the fitness center treadmills around them that never break a sweat or take a deep breath, but just jog along casually reading a magazine or watching television. Oh, to be young again, the seniors mourn. Researchers say they can improve this miss-match for seniors with just a little training. Read more...

Mental Stress More Dangerous Than Exercise for Some Heart Patients

Anxiety restricts blood flow in some patients – more than assumed

March 7, 2006 - The fear of public speaking might cause some people to do more than just break out in a cold sweat and battle stomach-churning butterflies - it could prove to have consequences for their heart health. University of Florida cardiologists have identified a group of heart disease patients who appear especially vulnerable to the physical effects of mental stress. Read more...

Religious Older Women are More Likely to Exercise and Enjoy Active Lives

The same does not hold true for older men or younger adults

Feb. 24, 2006 - As a group, older women lead the ranks of "too-sedentary" Americans, but a new study suggests that those who are religious are also more observant about keeping active in old age. Interestingly, this does not apply to older men. Read more...

BEST Program Reduces Osteoporosis Risk for Postmenopausal Women

Study confirms earlier finds on value of weight exercise, calcium citrate

Feb. 2, 2006 – Researchers have once again looked at the Bone Estrogen Strength Training (BEST) Study at The University of Arizona – a landmark study on how strength training affects changes in bone density in postmenopausal women. The most recent study confirms the findings that a specific regimen of weight-bearing and resistance exercises, combined with calcium citrate supplement over four years, provided significant improvement in bone mineral density (BMD) at key skeletal sites, whether or not the women were on hormone therapy (HT). Read more...

Tired of Wounds in Your Old Skin Not Healing – Try Exercise

Jan. 22, 2006- A common complaint by senior citizens is how much longer it takes for injuries and wounds to heal as we get older. The body’s ability to heal even small skin wounds is one of those things that slows as we age. A new study, however, finds that regular exercise by older adults may speed up the wound-healing process by as much as 25 percent. Read more...

Fitness Should Be New Year Goal for Senior Citizens

‘Easy Does It!’ Exercise Creator Craig Marcacci says elderly can do it

Jan. 1, 2006 -- It’s an annual routine…making resolutions about diet, exercise, attitude and fitness, only to let them slip away and be forgotten, usually within a month or so. But physical fitness trainer Craig Marcacci, developer of the innovative ‘Easy Does It!’ exercise program for seniors, says that doesn’t have to be the case. Read more...

Senior Citizens Can Save Their Memory by Exercising Bodies and Brains - New Study

Stress reduction and diet also cited as helping memory

Dec. 12, 2005 – A study released today says senior citizens can not only improve their aging bodies with exercise but that by adding memory exercises to their routine they can also preserve their memory. Read more...

Trainer Claims ‘First Ever’ Fitness Video for Senior Citizens

Developer says it is doctor approved and has been used for over 10 years

By Tucker Sutherland, editor

Nov. 19, 2005 – We publish so many reports on the benefits of exercise for senior citizens that we are firmly convinced it is a critical element of healthy aging. So, we do not want to pass up the opportunity to inform are older readers about a new fitness video, which the producer claims is the first ever weight training program for those age 65 and older. Read more...

Senior Citizens Can Add Quality Years to Life with Exercise

Nov. 11, 2005 – A new study has found that previously sedentary senior citizens who incorporated exercise into their lifestyles not only improved physical function, but experienced psychological benefits as well. Read more...

World Osteoporosis Day Puts Emphasis on Exercise

New report, 'Move it or Lose it,' starts three-year lifestyle campaign

Oct. 20, 2005 – Today is World Osteoporosis Day and the International Osteoporosis Foundation is placing the emphasis on the value of exercise in building strong bones. To recognize the event, the organization today released online a new publication – “Move it or Lose it: How exercise helps to build and maintain strong bones, prevents falls and fractures and speed rehabilitation.” Read more...

Boomers Beware

Senior Citizens Who Were Fat in Midlife More at Risk for Alzheimer’s

Oct. 11, 2005 - Individuals who were obese at midlife had an increased risk for dementia later in life compared to individuals of normal weight, according to an article in the October issue of the Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Read more...

Regular Weekly Exercise Trumps High Intensity Workout

Walking briskly for 12 miles a week sufficient for heart health

Oct. 10, 2005 – A new study confirms indications from earlier research that it is not necessary to engage in vigorous exercise to make significant improvement in aerobic fitness and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s the amount of exercise one gets in a week that makes the difference, says a study of baby boomers and young seniors - ages 40 to 65. Read more...

Evidence Growing that Alzheimer's Risk Greatly Diminished by Exercise

New study says exercise in middle age important

By Tucker Sutherland, editor

Oct. 4, 2005 – A new study published today adds to the growing evidence that exercise – particularly if it starts early and is maintained over time - is beneficial in preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The new study focused on the physical activity levels of older people when they were middle aged and concludes being physically active in midlife can significantly decrease the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Read more...

Senior Citizens Fastest Growing Membership in YMCA

Older adult fitness, sports offered by more Ys as seniors booms

Sept. 26, 2005 – Senior citizens 65 and older now represent the fastest-growing category of YMCA membership, which has reached 20.1 million, according to data released today. As the country's demographics shift and nearly 78 million baby boomers begin to enter their 60s, YMCAs' programs for older adults are growing rapidly. In 2004 fifty-six percent of Ys offered Older Adult Fitness, the number of YMCAs offering Older Adult Sports increased 95.7 percent and 1044 Ys offered arthritis aquatics classes. Read more...

Developing Good Balance is Critical Element of Healthy Aging

Indiana University researchers design program for older people to improve balance

Sept. 20, 2005 - Balance has less to do with strength and everything to do with an elderly person's ability to get around and live independently. Yet, few people in their later years think to practice balancing -- until it's too late. A study at Indiana University Bloomington has produced a balance improvement program that can be done at home. Read more...

Physically Fit Men Reduce Heart Attack Deaths by Half

Study says dramatic reduction occurs regardless of cholesterol level, age

Sept. 2, 2005 - Being physically fit can dramatically reduce men’s deaths from heart disease – even when their cholesterol rates are high, according to a Canadian study that included men up to 79 years of age. Researchers, say, the reduction is as much as 50 percent, regardless of their cholesterol level. Read more...

Exercise, Healthy Diet May Prevent Teeth Loss

Good lifestyle habits reduce risk of periodontal disease; just one more thing on list of benefits

Aug. 23, 2005 – Senior citizens and baby boomers are pounded with advice saying that with exercise and a healthy diet their mental and physical health is substantially improved. Now, a new study says that even oral health is better. The exercise-and-eat-right lifestyle, the study says, can reduce periodontal disease, the main cause of loss of teeth. Read more...

A Gene Helps Senior Citizens Who Gain Most from Exercise

Aug. 10, 2005 - Of nearly 3,000 seniors studied, those who exercised stayed healthier than their couch potato peers, but those born with a certain gene benefited the most from physical activity, said Marco Pahor, M.D., director of University of Florida's Institute on Aging and the senior author of a multi-institutional study. Genes keep elderly people from benefiting equally from exercise, no matter how much effort they expend, the study says. Read more...

Researchers Develop Exercise Chart for Women to Prevent Heart Problems

Oldest women in groundbreaking study with poor exercise capacity were most likely to die

Aug. 5, 2005 - Women who score less than 85 percent of their age predicted exercise capacity on an exercise stress test have a two times greater risk for serious heart problems and death, say researchers, who have also designed a simple chart (nomogram) women can use to interpret their exercise capacity, based on normal values for their age. The women in the study over 70 years of age with poor exercise capacity had an especially high mortality. Interestingly, the other high mortality group were the youngest – those under 55. Read more...

Exercise Fails to Help Senior Citizens Maintain Aerobic Capacity

July 26, 2005 – A new study says earlier assumptions about the rate of decline in aerobic capacity for senior citizens under-estimated the rate of decline. Their research says the decline in peak treadmill oxygen consumption accelerates markedly with each successive decade of age, especially in men, regardless of physical activity habits. In short: exercise does not appear to slow the loss of aerobic capacity, which is critical in the ability of older people to function independently. Read more...

Martial Arts Exercise

Tai Chi Reduces Falls in Older People: New Study Confirms Earlier Reports

June 27, 2005 – A new study confirms what has been reported by other researchers since 1996 – Tai Chi, a martial arts form that enhances balance and body awareness through slow, graceful and precise body movements, can improve balance, build strength and reduce the risk of falls in the elderly. Read more...

Older Senior Citizens Who Don’t Exercise Can Face Problems Even Walking

June 9, 2005 – Even for older senior citizen, lack of exercise increases the risk of future problems with climbing stairs or even walking, according to research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Read more...

Lower Dementia Risk

Medical Studies Confirm Ballroom Dancing Keeps Elderly Fit, Alert and Happy

May 27, 2005 – A medical study of elderly men and women over age 75 concludes what ballroom dance fans have always known - their favorite activity is great for health and happiness. The complexity and moving with the music lower the risk of dementia, the researchers say. Read more...

Myth That Exercise and Arthritis Don't Mix Still Lingers

Expert says avoiding exercise is wrong thing to do

May 26, 2005 - Most patients still believe something other than exercise is the most effective non-drug treatment for osteoarthritis, according to a new poll. One expert says avoiding exercise is the wrong thing to do. Read more...

Exercise Can Build Bones for Late Boomers, Senior Citizens

May 25, 2005 – New research says late Boomers and Senior Citizens – those 55 to 75 - can sustain and maybe improve bone mass with a moderate exercise program. The researchers say their results debunk the myth that exercising to lose excess body fat, unlike dieting alone, comes at a cost to bone health. Read more...

Erickson Seniors Achieve 95,477 Minutes of Exercise in One Day

May 19, 2005 – In what may have been the largest one day senior citizen exercise program ever, the residents of the eleven Erickson campuses for people age 62 or older achieved 95,477 minutes of exercise on one May day. Read more...

Senior Citizens Least Likely to Exercise; They Fear Injury

Women Baby Boomers are most like to turn to physical exercise

May 5, 2005 – In a study of older adults, senior citizens 56 and older were the least likely to turn to physical exercise in their free time, while boomer age women were the most likely to turn to exercise. The seniors fear injury or illness, say the researchers. Read more...

Strength Training Is an Antidote to Muscle Loss In Elderly

By Rosalie Marion Bliss

May 4, 2005 - Resistance or "strength" training has repeatedly been shown to be a safe and effective method of reversing sarcopenia, or muscle loss, in the elderly. The condition actually starts around age 45, when muscle mass begins to decline at a rate of about 1 percent per year. Scientists funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have been studying the factors involved in gradual muscle loss since 1988. Read more...

New Study Adds to Evidence that Exercise Slows Alzheimer’s and Dementia

April 26, 2005 - The new research demonstrates that long-term physical activity enhances the learning ability of mice and decreases the level of plaque-forming beta-amyloid protein fragments - a hallmark characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) - in their brains. This is the latest of several studies in recent years claiming exercise can slow Alzheimer’s and dementia. (For other studies see box on left.)  Read more...

Small Swim-in-Place Pools May Offer Answer to Better Fitness for Senior Citizens

By Tucker Sutherland, editor

April 11, 2005 - Swimming is a popular fitness activity for many senior citizens, because it provides good aerobic exercise without the high impact and joint stress of running or jogging. It also helps them control their weight. A drawback, however, has been the lack of a pool. We can run or jog anywhere but finding a place to swim laps or do aquatic  aerobics is often challenging. An answer for many may be the Endless Pool, a counter-current swimming and water exercise machine that is small enough to fit inside a home. Read more...

Lifestyle Changes by Seniors Especially Effective at Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

New Awareness Campaign Says “It’s Not Too Late” to Prevent the Disease

Jan. 19, 2005 – Studies show that while adults over 60 are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, losing a small amount of weight and increasing physical activity is especially effective in reducing that risk among this age group. About 40 percent of adults ages 40 to 74 — or 41 million people — have pre-diabetes, a condition that raises a person’s risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Read more...

Older Men Show Less Cognitive Decline by Maintaining Physical Activity

Dec. 28, 2004 - Longer and more intense physical activity may help people maintain their cognitive skills as they age, according to a 10-year study of elderly men published in the December 28, 2004 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology. More... 12/28/04*

Medicare Costs Skyrocket for People Obese in Middle Age

Dec. 8, 2004 – There is a cost to being obese in middle age – it comes when you get older and Medicare has to pay it. For severely obese men, for example, a new study says Medicare will have to pay 84 percent more than for a man who was of normal weight. More... 12/08/04*

Older Women Who Stay Fat Are Shrinking Their Brain

Nov. 23, 2004 - Women who are obese throughout life are more likely to lose brain tissue, which is linked to cognitive decline, according to a study published today in the November 23 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology. More... 11/23/04*

Senior Citizens Ignore Need for Exercise and Health Diet

Nov. 22, 2004 – Senior citizens continue to ignore professional advice on the need for exercise and a health diet, according to the third annual State of Aging and Health in America Report released today. More... 11/22/04*

BEST Study

Demonstration On How Older Women Reduced Osteoporosis Risk With Exercise, Calcium

Surgeon General's bone health report spurs action

Nov. 17, 2004 – A study completed in 2001 is getting new attention since the U.S. Surgeon General issued his warning that half the population is at risk of osteoporosis unless action is taken. Leaders in fitness and nutrition are demonstrating today in Manhattan exactly how older women in the BEST Study, a four-year investigation conducted at the University of Arizona, improved their bone mineral density using calcium and weight-bearing exercise. More... 11/17/04*

Doctors Focusing on Senior Citizen Obesity, Now That Medicare Pays

Double Problem: Seniors Overweight (58%) and Inactive

Nov. 8, 2004 – In July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced they were changing their rules to designate obesity as a disease and that Medicare would pay for anti-obesity interventions. This has spurred new attention by the medical profession on the treatment of senior citizens who are overweight. More... 11/08/04*

Boomers, Young Seniors Can Extend Life With Minimal Exercise

Nov. 5, 2004 - A new study gives people in their 50s and 60s another reason to get off the couch and be physically active — especially if they have conditions or habits that endanger their hearts, like diabetes, high blood pressure or smoking. More... 11/05/04*

Elderly Women Should Worry More About Exercise Than Weight

Oct. 8, 2004 – Elderly women should worry more about exercising than about controlling their weight in order to prevent their physical decline, according to a study done at the University of Pittsburgh and recently published in Preventive Medicine. More... 10/08/04*