Effects of increased physical activity on body composition, physical functions, vascular functions, HR-QOL, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling elderly people.
Tomoyuki Morisawa, Akira Tamaki, Kotatsu Nagai and 6 others
PMID 28210063WHAT IT FOUND
Meeting a 1,300-step/day increase target for 6 months did not change body composition, vascular function, strength, balance, or walking speed.
It was associated with better role and emotional quality-of-life scores, but only 18 participants achieved the target and 29 did not.
Key findings
01Participants who reached the step target did not differ significantly from those who did not reach it in body composition, vascular function, grip strength, knee extension strength, one-leg standing time, comfortable walking speed, or maximum walking speed.
02Role functioning and emotional functioning improved significantly in the achievement group after 6 months compared with baseline, while role functioning decreased significantly in the non-achievement group after 3 and 6 months.
03Changes in steps were significantly correlated with changes in role functioning, social functioning, and emotional functioning, but not with changes in body composition, vascular function, body function, or self-efficacy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Of 69 people who consented, 22 were excluded because they could not undergo regular evaluations, leaving 47 for analysis. Participants were not randomly assigned. Groups were formed after 6 months based on whether they reached the step target, so people who improved quality of life may have been more likely to meet the target. The study had no untreated control group, and it compared many outcomes without naming one primary result. Baseline activity was high compared with average elderly Japanese people, so the results may not apply to less active older adults. Only 18 participants reached the target, so the achievement group was small.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that adding 1,300 steps per day caused better role or emotional quality-of-life scores. Participants also used pedometers and daily step records, were grouped after 6 months by whether they met the target, and body composition, vascular function, and physical function did not improve significantly.