Global Consensus on Optimal Exercise For Longevity
Earlier this year, an international collaboration of scientists published, in my opinion, the most important scientific paper in the field of health and exercise science in the last 15 years. Titled “Global consensus on optimal exercise recommendations for enhancing healthy longevity in older adults,” this paper represents the current state of the science on the role of exercise in healthy aging.
Two key takeaways from this important paper:
As we age, we aren’t simply called to be physically active. We have to perform the type of exercise that promotes healthy aging. To this end, as we age, we need to focus on resistance training. The authors state, “For example, anabolic exercises, such as Progressive Resistance Training, are vital for maintaining or enhancing functional capacity in older adults, particularly those who are frail or with conditions such as sarcopenia and osteoporosis, mobility impairment or those hospitalized or in residential care. This importance is underscored by the rapid loss of muscle mass that older adults experience during hospitalization or periods of illness, leading to weakened muscle strength/power and function, which in turn increases the risk of falls, disability, morbidity, and mortality. No medications currently enhance fitness, functional capacity or alleviate frailty.”
Our medical practitioners need to learn more about evidence-based exercise so they can prescribe the right type of exercise (as well as how much to do). It’s simply not enough that we are “doing something.” The authors conclude, “Despite the numerous advantages of exercise, its integration into mainstream medical practice for older adults remains limited. Most healthcare professionals, including geriatricians, need more training to incorporate exercise directly into patient care. Progress has been made in including exercise counseling for older adults within healthcare settings. Yet, it is often reserved for those without significant physical or mental limitations and generally promotes only mild activities such as walking, often at dosages and intensities not supported by the current evidence. This cautious approach seems to stem from an unfounded fear of exercise-related injuries or the perceived risks of more vigorous activities for older adults, whereas, in reality, sedentariness is the lethal condition. Prescribing non-evidence-based exercise intensities and/or volumes should be viewed similarly to knowing prescribing sub-optimal medication dosages.”
