Greater physical activity of an aerobic nature ( categorized by a variety of methods ) was associated with higher functional status ( expressed by a host of outcome measures ) in older age .
For functional independence , moderate ( and high ) levels of physical activity appeared effective in conferring a reduced risk ( odds ratio ~0.5 ) of functional limitations or disability .
Limitation in higher level performance outcomes was reduced ( odds ratio ~0.5 ) with vigorous ( or high ) activity with an apparent dose-response of moderate through to high activity .
Exercise training interventions ( including aerobic and resistance ) of older adults showed improvement in physiological and functional measures , and suggestion of longer-term reduction in incidence of mobility disability .
A relatively high level of physical activity was related to better cognitive function and reduced risk of developing dementia ; however , there were mixed results of the effects of exercise interventions on cognitive function indices .
Conclusions There is a consistency of findings across studies and a range of outcome measures related to functional independence ; regular aerobic activity and short-term exercise programmes confer a reduced risk of functional limitations and disability in older age .
Although a precise characterization of a minimal or effective physical activity dose to maintain functional independence is difficult , it appears moderate to higher levels of activity are effective and there may be a threshold of at least moderate activity for significant outcomes
Background The purpose was to conduct systematic review s of the relationship between physical activity of healthy community-dwelling older ( > 65 years ) adults and outcomes of  functional limitations , disability , or loss of independence .
Physical activity, APOE genotype, and dementia risk: findings from the Cardiovascular Health Cognition Study.
Physical activity may help preserve cognitive function and decrease dementia risk , but epidemiologic findings are inconsistent . The authors conducted a prospect i ve study to determine the association between physical activity and risk of  dementia , Alzheimer 's disease , and vascular dementia . The US study population comprised 3,375 men and women aged 65 years or older , free of dementia at baseline , who participated in the Cardiovascular Health Cognition Study in 1992 - 2000 .  Leisure-time energy expenditure and an activity index reflecting number of different physical activities were calculated . Analyses were based on Cox proportional hazards models . There were 480 incident cases of dementia over an average of 5.4 years of follow-up . After multivariate adjustment , participants in the highest quartile of physical energy expenditure had a relative risk of dementia of 0.85 ( 95 % confidence interval : 0.61 , 1.19 ) compared with those in the lowest quartile , and participants engaging in > or=4 activities had a relative risk of dementia of 0.51 ( 95 % confidence interval : 0.33 , 0.79 ) compared with those engaging in 0 - 1 activity . These associations were more marked in apolipoprotein E genotype ( APOE ) epsilon4 allele noncarriers but were absent in carriers . A similar pattern was observed for Alzheimer 's disease and vascular dementia . Mechanisms to explain the observed relations deserve further study
Greater physical activity of an aerobic nature ( categorized by a variety of methods ) was associated with higher functional status ( expressed by a host of outcome measures ) in older age .
For functional independence , moderate ( and high ) levels of physical activity appeared effective in conferring a reduced risk ( odds ratio ~0.5 ) of functional limitations or disability .
Limitation in higher level performance outcomes was reduced ( odds ratio ~0.5 ) with vigorous ( or high ) activity with an apparent dose-response of moderate through to high activity .
Exercise training interventions ( including aerobic and resistance ) of older adults showed improvement in physiological and functional measures , and suggestion of longer-term reduction in incidence of mobility disability .
A relatively high level of physical activity was related to better cognitive function and reduced risk of developing dementia ; however , there were mixed results of the effects of exercise interventions on cognitive function indices .
Conclusions There is a consistency of findings across studies and a range of outcome measures related to functional independence ; regular aerobic activity and short-term exercise programmes confer a reduced risk of functional limitations and disability in older age .
Although a precise characterization of a minimal or effective physical activity dose to maintain functional independence is difficult , it appears moderate to higher levels of activity are effective and there may be a threshold of at least moderate activity for significant outcomes
Background The purpose was to conduct systematic review s of the relationship between physical activity of healthy community-dwelling older ( > 65 years ) adults and outcomes of  functional limitations , disability , or loss of independence .