Physical Activity and Change in Long Distance Corridor Walk Performance in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study

• Autores: Brittney S. Lange Maia, Elsa S. Strotmeyer, Tamara B. Harris, Nancy W. Glynn, Eleanor M. Simonsick, Jennifer S. Brach, Jane A. Cauley, Phyllis A. Richey, Ann V. Schwartz, Anne B. Newman
• Localización: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, ISSN 0002-8614, Vol. 63, Nº. 7, 2015, págs. 1348-1354
• Idioma: inglés
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen

  • Objectives To examine the prospective relationship between self-reported physical activity and aerobic fitness in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study (Health ABC) using the Long Distance Corridor Walk (LDCW).

    Design Cohort study with 7 years of follow-up.

    Setting Two U.S. clinical sites.

    Participants Community-dwelling older adults enrolled in Health ABC (N = 3,075, aged 70–79, 52% female, 42% black) with no self-reported difficulty walking one-quarter of a mile or climbing 10 steps.

    Measurements Participants were classified based on a physical activity questionnaire as being inactive (≤1,000 kcal/wk exercise activity, ≤2,719 kcal/wk total physical activity), lifestyle active (≤1,000 kcal/wk exercise activity, >2,719 kcal/wk total physical activity), or exercisers (≥1,000 kcal/wk exercise activity). The LDCW, an endurance walking test (400 m), was administered at Years 1 (baseline), 2, 4, 6, and 8 to assess aerobic fitness.

    Results At baseline, LDCW completion times (adjusted for age and sex) were 351.8 seconds (95% confidence interval (CI) = 346.9–356.8 seconds) for the inactive group, 335.9 seconds (95% CI = 332.7–339.1 seconds) for the lifestyle active group, and 307.7 seconds (95% CI = 303.2–312.3 seconds) for the exerciser group (P < .001). From baseline to Year 8, the inactive group slowed 36.1 seconds (95% CI = 28.4–43.8 seconds), the lifestyle active group slowed 38.1 seconds (95% CI = 33.6–42.4 seconds), and the exerciser group slowed 40.8 seconds (95% CI = 35.2–46.5 seconds), and did not differ significantly between groups. In linear mixed-effects models, the rate of change in LDCW time did not differ between the groups, although exercisers consistently had the fastest completion times (P < .001 for all pairwise comparisons).

    Conclusion Decline in LDCW time occurred regardless of baseline activity, although exercisers maintained higher aerobic fitness, which may delay reaching a critically low threshold of aerobic fitness at which independence is impaired.