The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot (LIFE-P): 2-year follow-up.
BACKGROUND
It is well recognized that physical activity (PA) is important for older adults; yet, clinicians remain pessimistic about the ability of older adults with compromised function to adhere to long-term treatment and to maintain behavior change once treatment has been terminated.


METHODS
We examined the functional status of older adults at a field center (Wake Forest University) 2 years after completing 12 months of treatment in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot study. At baseline, participants were randomized to either a PA or a successful aging (SA) control group. Outcome measures included an interview assessment of PA, the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and performance on a 400-m self-paced walking test.


RESULTS
Two years after the formal intervention had ended, participants who were originally in the PA group continued to engage in more minutes of moderate PA and tended to have better SPPB and walking speed than those in the SA group (effect sizes [ES]: SPPB = 0.40, walking speed = 0.37). Seven (12.7%) participants in the PA group failed the 400-m walk at the 36-month follow-up assessment, whereas this number was 11 (21.6%) in the SA group.


CONCLUSIONS
Older adults who have compromised physical function are able to sustain some of the benefits derived from participating in structured PA 2 years after supervised treatment has been terminated.
Rejeski
W Jack
WJ
Department of Health and Exercise Science, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA. rejeski@wfu.edu
Marsh
Anthony P
AP
Chmelo
Elizabeth
E
Prescott
Abbie J
AJ
Dobrosielski
Meredith
M
Walkup
Michael P
MP
Espeland
Mark
M
Miller
Michael E
ME
Kritchevsky
Stephen
S
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*