There was no evidence for a relationship between intervention effectiveness and mode of delivery or number of intervention contacts ; however , interventions which involved individually tailoring with personalized activity goals or provision of information about local opportunities in the environment may be more effective .
Conclusions Interventions in adults aged 55 to 70 years led to long term improvements in physical activity at 12 months ; however , maintenance beyond this is unclear .
Identified physical activity improvements are likely to have substantial health benefits in reducing the risk of age-related illnesses .
Background Retirement represents a major transitional life stage in middle to older age .
Changes in physical activity typically accompany this transition , which has significant consequences for health and well-being .
The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence for the effect of interventions to promote physical activity in adults aged 55 to 70 years , focusing on studies that reported long-term effectiveness .
Exercise effect on weight and body fat in men and women.
OBJECTIVES The effect of national exercise recommendations on adiposity is unknown and may differ by sex . We examined long-term effects of aerobic exercise on adiposity in women and men . RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES This was a 12-month r and omized , controlled clinical trial testing exercise effect on weight and body composition in men ( N = 102 ) and women ( N = 100 ) . Sedentary/unfit persons , 40 to 75 years old , were recruited through physician practice s and media . The intervention was facility- and home-based moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic activity , 60 min/d , 6 days/wk vs. controls ( no intervention ) . RESULTS Exercisers exercised a mean 370 min/wk ( men ) and 295 min/wk ( women ) , and seven dropped the intervention . Exercisers lost weight ( women , -1.4 vs. + 0.7 kg in controls , p = 0.008 ; men , -1.8 vs. -0.1 kg in controls , p = 0.03 ) , BMI ( women , -0.6 vs. + 0.3 kg/m(2 ) in controls , p = 0.006 ; men , -0.5 kg/m(2 ) vs. no change in controls , p = 0.03 ) , waist circumference ( women , -1.4 vs. + 2.2 cm in controls , p < 0.001 ; men , -3.3 vs. -0.4 cm in controls , p = 0.003 ) , and total fat mass ( women , -1.9 vs. + 0.2 kg in controls , p = 0.001 ; men , -3.0 vs. + 0.2 kg in controls , p < 0.001 ) . Exercisers with greater increases in pedometer-measured steps per day had greater decreases in weight , BMI , body fat , and intra-abdominal fat ( all p trend < 0.05 in both men and women ) . Similar trends were observed for increased minutes per day of exercise and for increases in maximal oxygen consumption . DISCUSSION These data support the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Institute of Medicine guidelines of 60 min/d of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
There was no evidence for a relationship between intervention effectiveness and mode of delivery or number of intervention contacts ; however , interventions which involved individually tailoring with personalized activity goals or provision of information about local opportunities in the environment may be more effective .
Conclusions Interventions in adults aged 55 to 70 years led to long term improvements in physical activity at 12 months ; however , maintenance beyond this is unclear .
Identified physical activity improvements are likely to have substantial health benefits in reducing the risk of age-related illnesses .
Background Retirement represents a major transitional life stage in middle to older age .
Changes in physical activity typically accompany this transition , which has significant consequences for health and well-being .
The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence for the effect of interventions to promote physical activity in adults aged 55 to 70 years , focusing on studies that reported long-term effectiveness .