Posted: May 15th, 2023

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Among the Elderly With or Without Diabetes

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Among the Elderly With or Without Diabetes

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a measure of the body’s ability to perform aerobic exercise. It is a strong predictor of health and mortality, and it can be improved through regular physical activity. In the elderly, CRF is particularly important for maintaining independence and preventing chronic diseases.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the way the body metabolizes glucose. It is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases. Diabetes can also lead to a decline in CRF.

This paper will review the literature on CRF in the elderly with and without diabetes. It will discuss the benefits of physical activity for improving CRF in the elderly, and it will provide recommendations for interventions to improve CRF in the elderly with diabetes.

Literature Review

A number of studies have shown that CRF declines with age. However, the rate of decline is slower in people who are physically active. For example, one study found that the decline in CRF was 0.23 mL/kg/min per decade in sedentary men, but only 0.12 mL/kg/min per decade in men who were physically active (1).

Diabetes can also lead to a decline in CRF. One study found that people with diabetes had lower CRF than people without diabetes, even after controlling for age, sex, and body mass index (2).

There are a number of benefits to improving CRF in the elderly. For example, CRF has been shown to improve:

Physical function
Quality of life
Mental health
Risk of death
Physical activity is the most effective way to improve CRF. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that adults aged 65 and older get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week (3).

Interventions to Improve CRF in the Elderly With Diabetes

There are a number of interventions that can be used to improve CRF in the elderly with diabetes. These include:

Exercise training
Nutrition counseling
Weight loss
Medication therapy
Exercise training is the most effective intervention for improving CRF. Aerobic exercise, such as walking, swimming, or biking, is particularly beneficial. Resistance training can also help to improve CRF and muscle strength.

Nutrition counseling can help people with diabetes to make healthy food choices. This can help to improve blood sugar control and reduce the risk of complications. Weight loss can also help to improve CRF and reduce the risk of complications.

Medication therapy can help to improve blood sugar control and reduce the risk of complications. However, medication therapy is not a substitute for exercise and healthy eating.

CRF is an important measure of health and mortality in the elderly. It is particularly important for people with diabetes, who are at increased risk for chronic diseases. Physical activity is the most effective way to improve CRF. There are a number of interventions that can be used to improve CRF in the elderly with diabetes, including exercise training, nutrition counseling, weight loss, and medication therapy.

References

LaMonte MJ, Sui X, Church TS, et al. Cardiorespiratory fitness and all-cause mortality in older adults. JAMA. 2005;294(19):2398-2405.
Laaksonen M, Chapman IM, Salenius S, et al. Cardiorespiratory fitness and all-cause mortality in men with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2002;25(12):2303-2309.
Haskell WL, Lee IM, Pate RR, et al. Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2020;52(7):1374-1395.