title: Patterning of physiological and affective responses in older active adults during a maximal graded exercise test and self-selected exercise.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The American College of Sports Medicine has highlighted the importance of considering the physiological and affective responses to exercise when setting exercise intensity. Here, we examined the relationship between exercise intensity and physiological and affective responses in active older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen participants (60-74 years; 64.4 ± 3.9; 8 women) completed a maximal graded exercise test (GXT) on a treadmill. Since time to exhaustion in the GXT differed between participants, heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption (VO2), affective valence (affect) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were expressed relative to the individually determined ventilatory threshold (%atVT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the GXT, VO2, HR and RPE increased linearly (all P < 0.01). Affect declined initially (but remained positive) (P = 0.03), stabilised around VT (still positive) (P > 0.05) and became negative towards the end of the test (P < 0.01). In a subsequent session, participants completed a 20-min bout of self-selected exercise (at a preferred intensity). Initially, participants chose to exercise below VT (88.2 ± 17.4 %VO2atVT); however, the intensity was adjusted to work at, or above VT (107.7 ± 19.9 %VO2atVT) after 10 min (P < 0.001), whilst affect remained positive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Together, these findings indicate that exercise around VT, whether administered during an exercise test, or self-selected by the participant, is likely to result in positive affective responses in older adults.
authors: Alliance for Research in Exercise Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, PO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia, ashleigh.smith@unisa.edu.au.
authors: Ashleigh E
authors: AE
authors: Smith
authors: Roger
authors: R
authors: Eston
authors: Gavin D
authors: GD
authors: Tempest
authors: Belinda
authors: B
authors: Norton
authors: Gaynor
authors: G
authors: Parfitt
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000523:psychology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D014836:Volition