title: The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot (LIFE-P): 2-year follow-up.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Exercise Science, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA. rejeski@wfu.edu
authors.forename: W Jack
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Rejeski
authors.forename: Anthony P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chmelo
authors.forename: Abbie J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Prescott
authors.forename: Meredith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dobrosielski
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Walkup
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Espeland
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kritchevsky
mesh_terms: 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*