EXERCISE TRAINING ON FRAILTY IN COMMUNITY DWELLING OLDER ADULTS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Background: Progressive resistance training (PRT) has been shown to increase muscle strength and fat free mass (FFM) in the elderly. Limited information is available regarding the effects of PRT on lean and fat mass in frail elders. Methods: Ninety-three community-dwelling sedentary men and women, 78 years and older with physical frailty, defined using standardized objective criteria were enrolled in a 9-month trial of exercise training. Participants were randomly assigned to a control group (CTL) that performed low intensity home exercise program, or an exercise-training program (ET) that included 3 months of supervised PRT. Results: After completion of 3 months of PRT, ET subjects had greater improvements than CTL in maximal voluntary force production for knee extension (mean D +5.3 ¿13 ft/lb vs. +1.1¿11 ft/lb, p=0.05) measured using isokinetic dynamometry. Total body FFM (measured using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, DEXA) increased in the ET group, but not the CTL group (mean D+0.84 ¿1.4 kg vs. +0.01¿1.5 kg, p0.005). Total, trunk, intra-abdominal, and subcutaneous fat mass (measured using DEXA and 1H-magnetic resonance imaging) did not change in response to PRT. Conclusions: Three months of PRT induced improvements in maximal voluntary thigh muscle strength and whole body FFM in frail, community-dwelling elderly women and men. The supervised exercise program may not be sufficient to reduce whole body or intra-abdominal fat area in this population.