title: Exercise frequency, health risk factors, and diseases of the elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of exercise frequency on various diseases and risk factors of the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of a randomized controlled 18-month exercise trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  University ambulatory group setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-dwelling women aged ≥65 years (N=162) in the area of Northern Bavaria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mixed, intense aerobic, resistance, and balance protocol for 18 months. Subjects were retrospectively subdivided into 2 groups according to their effective attendance over 18 months (>1-<2 vs ≥2-4 sessions/wk).
  
  
  METHODS
  Bone mineral density (BMD), lean body mass, appendicular skeletal muscle mass by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, Framingham study-based 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, and number of falls by calendar method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences between the low-frequency exercise group (LF-EG) and the high-frequency exercise group (HF-EG) were observed for lumbar spine BMD (HF-EG, 2.4%±2.8% vs LF-EG, 0.3%±2.2%; P<.001) and proximal femur BMD (HF-EG, 2.4%±2.8% vs LF-EG, -0.5%±1.6%; P=.014), lean body mass (1.6%±3.4% vs 0.3%±2.6%, P=.053), and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (0.9%±4.5% vs -1.3%±3.2%, P=.011). No differences between both exercise groups were observed for 10-year CHD risk (-1.94%±4.14% vs -2.00%±3.13%; P=.943) and number of falls (0.95±1.36 vs 1.03±1.21 falls/person). Comparing the LF-EG with the less active control group (n=47), only nonsignificant effects for fall number (P=.065) and 10-year CHD risk (P=.178) were evaluated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although this result might not be generalizable across all exercise types and cohorts, it indicates that an overall exercise frequency of at least 2 sessions/wk may be crucial for impacting bone and muscle mass of elderly subjects.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Physics, University of Erlangen-Nurnberg (Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg), Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: wolfgang.kemmler@imp.uni-erlangen.de.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kemmler
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Stengel
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: ASMM; BMD; Bone; CHD; Coronary disease; DXA; EG; Exercise; Fall, accidental; HF-EG; LBM; LF-EG; LS; Muscle; SEFIP; Senior Fitness and Prevention (study); WCG; appendicular skeletal muscle mass; bone mineral density; coronary heart disease; dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; exercise group; high-frequency exercise group; lean body mass; low-frequency exercise group; lumbar spine; tHip; total Hip; wellness control group