Flávia Wanderley

Effects of resistance and aerobic exercise on physical function, bone mineral density, OPG and RANKL in older women.

This study compared the effects of a resistance training protocol and a moderate-impact aerobic training protocol on bone mineral density (BMD), physical ability, serum osteoprotegerin (OPG), and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) levels. Seventy-one older women were randomly assigned to resistance exercise (RE), aerobic exercise (AE) or a control group (CON). Both interventions were conducted 3 times per week for 8 months. Outcome measures included proximal femur BMD, muscle strength, balance, body composition, serum OPG, and RANKL levels. Potential confounding variables included dietary intake, accelerometer-based physical activity (PA), and molecularly defined lactase nonpersistence. After 8 months, only RE group exhibited increases in BMD at the trochanter (2.9%) and total hip (1.5%), and improved body composition. Both RE and AE groups improved balance. No significant changes were observed in OPG and RANKL levels, and OPG/RANKL ratio. Lactase nonpersistence was not associated with BMD changes. No group differences were observed in baseline values or change in dietary intakes and daily PA. Data suggest that 8 months of RE may be more effective than AE for inducing favourable changes in BMD and muscle strength, whilst both interventions demonstrate to protect against the functional balance control that is strongly related to fall risk.

Differential responses of adiposity, inflammation and autonomic function to aerobic versus resistance training in older adults

BACKGROUND Increased body fat, autonomic dysfunction and low-grade chronic inflammation are interrelated risk factors implicated in the etiology of several chronic conditions normally presented by older adults. OBJECTIVE This study aims to assess the effectiveness of different training protocols on reducing body fat, improving autonomic function, and decreasing low-grade systemic inflammation in community-dwelling elderly adults. METHODS Fifty participants (11 men, 68±5.5years) were randomly allocated into resistance or aerobic training or control groups. Evaluations were done at baseline and following the 8-month intervention period on their body composition (assessed by DXA), inflammatory biomarkers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP], tumor necrosis-alpha [TNF-α], interferon-gamma [IFN-γ], interleukins-6 and -10 [IL-6, IL-10]), lipoproteic profile, fasting glycemia, blood pressure, heart rate variability (HRV; frequency and time domains) and aerobic fitness (assessed by six-minute walk distance [6MWD]). A paired t-test was used to detect changes (%Δ=[(post-test score-pretest score)/pre-test score]×100) within groups, while between-group differences were analyzed using the one-way ANOVA or General Linear Models. RESULTS A significant change (Δ%) both in total (-5.4±6.3% and -3.3±2.9%, respectively) and central body fat (8.9±11.3% and -4.8±4.5%) was observed in resistance and aerobic training groups, respectively; along with a change in resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures (-9.2±9.8% and -8.5±9.6%), heart rate (-4.6±6.5%), hs-CRP (-18.6±60.6%), and 6MWD (9.5±6.9%) in response to aerobic training. CONCLUSIONS The present findings provide further evidence for the benefits of aerobic and resistance training on reducing body fat. Aerobic training was demonstrated to reduce hs-CRP and blood pressure in community-dwelling elderly participants with no serious medical conditions.

Six-minute walk distance (6MWD) is associated with body fat, systolic blood pressure, and rate-pressure product in community dwelling elderly subjects

This study aimed to determine if aerobic fitness assessed by 6MWD is able to predict resting cardiovascular function and cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVDRF). One hundred and five old individuals were analyzed: aerobic fitness (6MWD), body composition (DXA), blood pressure (BP), resting heart rate (HRrest) and rate-pressure product (RPPrest) were evaluated. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between 6MWD, resting cardiovascular function and CVDRF. To examine the shared variance between 6MWD, cardiac function, and CVDRF, linear regression analyses were employed. Inverse associations were observed between 6MWD and age (r=-0.405; p<0.001), percent body fat (%BF) (r=-0.472; p<0.001), trunk fat (r=-0.234; p=0.020), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r=-0.307; p=0.002), HRrest (r=-0.248; p=0.013), and RPPrest (r=-0.400; p<0.001). In simple linear regressions, except the diastolic blood pressure (DBP), the 6MWD correlated (0.001≥p≤0.020) with all investigated parameters. When models were adjusted (for age and sex), the 6MWD remained associated with %BF (p<0.001), SBP (0.002≥p≤0.009) and RPPrest (0.001≥p≤0.002). Our study reinforces the idea that a worse cardiovascular profile is related with lower fitness. Furthermore, it supports the potential of 6MWD to identify adverse outcomes such as %BF, increased SBP and higher RPPrest in older adults.

Appendicular fat mass is positively associated with femoral neck bone mineral density in older women.

ObjectiveIn this study, we examined the relationships between body fat accumulation and distribution and bone mineral density (BMD) in older women. MethodsA total of 100 healthy white women (mean ± SD age, 68.7 ± 5.5 y) free of medications known to affect bone were enrolled. Lean mass, fat mass (FM), percentage body fat, android FM, gynoid FM, appendicular FM (AFM), appendicular lean mass, and femoral neck BMD were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Dietary intake was assessed by 4-day dietary record, and potential renal acid load was also calculated. Performance measures included knee extension and flexion strength measured on an isokinetic dynamometer. Physical activity was assessed using accelerometers and a questionnaire. Lactase nonpersistence was defined by the C/T-13910 genotype. Sociodemographic information, lifestyle behaviors, and clinical status were also examined. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed that AFM was the most significant positive predictor of femoral neck BMD. ResultsAfter adjustment for confounders (age, height, age at menopause, potential renal acid load, physical activity, and knee muscle strength), AFM had strong and independent associations with femoral neck BMD (26.4% of variance). ConclusionsThese data highlight that in older women, localization of FM is more important for bone mass than obesity per se or lean mass. AFM (subcutaneous adiposity) seems to exhibit an independent protective effect on BMD.