I’ve been saying this for years!!!!  I love it when the revered medical society backs up what health professionals have been preaching…..seems they’re always a bit behind though…..

Physical Activity Should Be Encouraged Into Advanced Old Age

September 16, 2009 — Physical activity should be encouraged into advanced old age, according to the results of a prospective cohort study reported in the September 14 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"Recommendations encouraging physical activity set no upper age limit, yet evidence supporting the benefits of PA [physical activity] among the very old is sparse," write Jochanan Stessman, MD, from Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel, and colleagues. "We examined the effects of continuing, increasing, or decreasing PA levels on survival, function, and health status among the very old."

Using data from the Jerusalem Longitudinal Cohort Study performed from 1990 through 2008, the investigators evaluated mortality from ages 70 to 88 years and health, comorbidity, and functional status at ages 70, 78, and 85 years among a representative sample of 1861 people born in 1920 and 1921. Follow-up for all-cause mortality was 17,109 person-years.

At age 70 years, 8-year mortality rate was 15.2% among physically active participants vs 27.2% among sedentary participants (P < .001). At age 78 years, 8-year mortality rate was 26.1% vs 40.8% (P < .001), and at age 85 years, 3-year mortality rate was 6.8% vs 24.4% (P < .001).

When mortality risk factors were adjusted for using Cox proportional-hazards models, lower mortality rate was associated with physical activity level at ages 70 years (hazard ratio [HR], 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38 – 0.96), 78 years (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.48 – 0.98), and 85 years (HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.25 – 0.68). Starting physical activity between ages 70 and 78 years was associated with a significant survival benefit (P = .04), and this was also true for starting physical activity between ages 78 and 85 years (P < .001).

Compared with being sedentary, participating in greater levels of physical activity did not show a dose-dependent association with mortality rate. Physical activity level at age 78 years predicted independence for performing activities of daily living at age 85 years (odds ratio, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.11 – 3.33).

"Among the very old, not only continuing but also initiating PA was associated with better survival and function," the study authors write. "This finding supports the encouragement of physical activity into advanced old age."

Limitations of this study include attrition at follow-up, self-reported data on physical activity, limited generalizability to other cultures, and lack of data on energy expenditure.

"Despite the increasing likelihood of comorbidity, frailty, dependence, and ever-shortening life expectancy, remaining and even starting to be physically active increases the likelihood of living longer and staying functionally independent," the study authors conclude. "The clinical ramifications are far reaching. As this rapidly growing sector of the population assumes a prominent position in preventive and public health measures, our findings clearly support the continued encouragement of physical activity, even among the oldest old."

The Jerusalem Longitudinal Study has received funds from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the State of Israel; ESHEL, the Association for the Planning and Development of Services for the Aged in Israel; the National Insurance Institute; and various private, charitable donors. The study authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Authors and Disclosures

Journalist

Laurie Barclay, MD

freelance writer and reviewer, MedscapeCME
Disclosure: Laurie Barclay, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

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