This review found that muscle strength , balance , and endurance can be improved by physical activity in people aged 40 - 65 years .
There were bigger effects on muscle strength from programs that used resistance exercises , indicating the need to include a resistance training component if strength enhancement is the goal
QUESTION Can physical activity  in adults aged 40 - 65 years enhance strength and balance and prevent falls ?
A randomized walking trial in postmenopausal women: effects on physical activity and health 10 years later.
BACKGROUND It is important to determine if permanent lifestyle changes may result from physical activity interventions and whether health may be affected by these changes . OBJECTIVE To conduct a 10-year follow-up of physical activity and self-reported health status in participants of a r and omized clinical trial of walking intervention .  METHODS Of the original 229 volunteer postmenopausal women who participated in the original clinical trial , 196 ( N = 96 intervention and 100 controls ) completed the 10-year follow-up telephone interview . The interview protocol included questions on  self-reported walking for exercise  and purpose s other than exercise , the Paffenbarger sport and exercise index , functional status , and various chronic diseases and conditions . RESULTS The median values for both usual walking for exercise and total walking  were significantly higher for walkers compared with controls ( for both , P = .01 ) , with median differences of 706 and 420 kcal/wk , respectively . After excluding women who reported heart disease during the original trial , 2 women in the walking group ( 2 % ) and 11 women in the control group ( 12 % ) reported physician-diagnosed heart disease over the last 10 years ( P = .07 ) . There were also fewer hospitalizations , surgeries , and falls among women in the walking group , although these differences were not statistically significant ( P>.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS Although limited by self-report , this study may be the first to demonstrate long-term exercise compliance to a r and omized control trial in older women and to suggest that health benefits may have ensued as a result of these increased activity levels
This review found that muscle strength , balance , and endurance can be improved by physical activity in people aged 40 - 65 years .
There were bigger effects on muscle strength from programs that used resistance exercises , indicating the need to include a resistance training component if strength enhancement is the goal
QUESTION Can physical activity  in adults aged 40 - 65 years enhance strength and balance and prevent falls ?