Study of the Long-term Effects of Exercise on Heath Indicators in Older People

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) represent the most frequent cause of death among the elderly population. Hypertension, unfavorable lipid profile, obesity and physical inactivity are among the main risk factors for CVD. In contrast, mortality from CVD is inversely related to levels of physical activity, and is lower in individuals who exercise and have higher functional fitness levels. Thus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the American Heart Association have recommended 20-30 min of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic training for the elderly, preferably every day or at least 3 days a week in the case of vigorous exercise.The same organizations also suggest the inclusion of resistance training in order to improve functional fitness. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare different exercise modalities in long-term changes of CVD risk factors and physical fitness among older adults.