The new study is co-authored by PhD graduate Lance Davidson (now pursuing post-doctoral studies at Columbia University) and professor of Kinesiology and Health Studies Robert Ross, director of the university's Centre for Obesity Research and Education (CORE).
The researchers found that seniors with several trademarks of developing disease - including a waist circumference of 101cm in men or 90cm in women - who trained both aerobically and with weights made significant health gains compared to control groups.
People who trained aerobically lost abdominal fat, maintained muscle and became over 30% more insulin sensitive (less prone to developing diabetes). Those who lifted weights gained significant amounts of muscle and excelled in physical function tests in which poor performance would indicate disability. Seniors who did both treadmill and weightlifting three times a week showed the greatest gains in both insulin sensitivity and functional fitness.
“Granted, the participants had a dedicated crew of energetic Queen's students and graduates to motivate and encourage them, but these seniors did all the exercise themselves,” Dr. Davidson says. “Thanks to their efforts, the message that moderate exercise - even without dietary modification - reverses age-related disease or disability can now be disseminated to clinicians and health-care professionals.”
The five-year study was completed with the help of Hotel Dieu and Kingston General Hospitals.
Source: Queens University
