Impact of supervised aerobic exercise training on habitual physical activity in healthy older adults: the Hertfordshire physical activity randomised controlled trial

TL;DR

A study found that supervised aerobic exercise increased daily activity on exercise days but not overall weekly activity in older adults.

Contribution

The study shows structured exercise boosts activity on specific days but not overall, suggesting infrastructure changes may be more effective.

Findings

Structured exercise increased PAEE on exercise days by 9.1 kJ kg-1 day-1.

No overall weekly PAEE difference between groups.

Sedentary time decreased on exercise days in the intervention group.

Abstract

Physical activity is important for health, but the influence of structured, supervised aerobic exercise sessions on habitual physical activity in healthy older adults is unclear.

We evaluated habitual physical activity in the Hertfordshire Physical Activity Trial, where healthy older adults were randomised to 36 supervised 1-hour gymnasium sessions on a cycle ergometer at moderate intensity over 12 weeks or to a control group with no intervention. We estimated physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) and time spent in sedentary behaviour and light and moderate or vigorous physical activity over 7 days at three time points (before, during and immediately after the intervention) with individually calibrated combined heart rate and movement sensing.

Of 100 randomised participants (44% female, aged 67–76 years), 96% completed follow-up. Midway through the intervention, neither overall PAEE nor time spent at different intensities were different between groups. However, on the 3 days of the week that the structured exercise sessions occurred (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), the exercise group had a 9.1 kJ kg-1 day-1 ((2.5, 15.7), p=0.007) increase in PAEE, a reduction in sedentary time and increased time spent at light and moderate or vigorous physical activity, compared with the control group.

Three 1-hour bouts per week of structured aerobic exercise increased daily physical activity on the days they occurred, but not overall physical activity across the whole week. Population-wide strategies such as better cycling and walking infrastructure may increase physical activity in healthy older adults more effectively than treatment with structured exercise programmes.

ISRCTN60986572.

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