Search results

LifeAge guide is the result of a project co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. It aims to promote a healthy lifestyle, which includes proper nutrition and physical exercise, in order to achieve a better quality of life in older age. There is no doubt that population ageing is a global phenomenon that affects the whole of Western society. It is determined by profound demographic changes happened in the last decades: the reduction of mortality due to improved health conditions and medical progress, on the one hand, and the contraction of births on the other.The ageing of the population represents a "triumph" but also a "challenge" for society. Actually, it increases the burden of chronic degenerative diseases linked to ageing, with the consequent increase in welfare expenses and the difficulties of sustainability of the entire social and health system. ; This guide is funded by the European project: LIFEAGE-Promoting the Shift Sedentary Lifestyle towards Active Ageing (ref. 603121-EPP-1-2018-1-ES-SPOSCP). European Union. Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency. Erasmus+Sport Programme. Call EACS Sport 2018: "Not-for-profit European sport events. Small Collaborative partnerships and Collaborative partnerships in the sport field".

Exercise is an important tool against the deleterious effects of aging. Among the possibilities of exercise, bodyweight training (BWT) has been highlighted in the last years as a safe option to improve the health of older people. We compared the effects of 24 weeks of BWT and combined training (CT) on low-grade systematic inflammation and functional fitness in postmenopausal women. For this, 40 women were allocated and submitted to CT (n = 20, 64.43 ± 3.13 years, 29.56 ± 4.80 kg/m²) and BWT (n = 20, 65.10 ± 4.86 years, 28.76 ± 4.26 kg/m²). We measured inflammation by the interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) assessments. For functional fitness, we used tests similar to activities of daily living. At the end of the 16 weeks, data from 24 women were analyzed, CT (n = 14) and BT (n = 10). Both groups reduced TNF-α and IL-6 levels, without differences in IL-10. Regarding functional fitness, both groups demonstrated improvements in all tests after 24 weeks, except for rise from prone position and the 400-meter walk test for CT. In summary, CT and BWT are effective in reducing the plasma concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines and improving functional fitness in postmenopausal women.