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 .
Midlife hand grip strength as a predictor of old age disability.
CONTEXT Poor muscle strength , functional limitations , and disability often coexist , but whether muscle strength during midlife predicts old age functional ability is not known . OBJECTIVE To determine whether h and grip strength measured during midlife predicts old age functional limitations and disability in initially healthy men . DESIGN AND SETTING A 25-year prospect i ve cohort study , the Honolulu Heart Program , which began in 1965 among Japanese-American men living on Oahu , Hawaii . PARTICIPANTS A total of 608945- to 68-year-old men who were healthy at baseline and whose maximal h and grip strength was measured from 1965 through 1970 . Altogether , 2259 men died over the follow-up period and 3218 survivors participated in the  disability assessment  in 1991 through 1993 . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Functional limitations including slow customary walking speed ( < or = 0.4 m/s ) and inability to rise from a seated position without using the arms , and multiple self-reported upper extremity , mobility , and self-care disability outcomes . RESULTS After adjustment for multiple potential confounders , risk of functional limitations and disability 25 years later increased as baseline h and grip strength , divided into tertiles , declined . The odds ratio ( OR ) of walking speed of 0.4 m/s or slower was 2.87 ( 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 1.76 - 4.67 ) in those in the lowest third and 1.79 ( 95 % CI , 1.14 - 2.81 ) in the middle third of grip strength vs those in the highest third . The risk of self-care disability was more than 2 times greater in the lowest vs the highest grip strength tertile . Adding chronic conditions identified at follow-up to the models predicting disability reduced the ORs related to grip strength only minimally . CONCLUSIONS Among healthy 45- to 68-year-old men , h and grip strength was highly predictive of functional limitations and disability 25 years later . Good muscle strength in midlife may protect people from old age disability by providing a greater safety margin above the threshold of disability
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 .