Marcello Maggio
Physical activity, health and aging

Talk Abstract

Type and role of exercise in preserving community mobility in vulnerable older people. Preserving independent mobility is central to maintaining a good quality of life, including retention of many activities, that older adults daily need to stay fully engaged in their communities. Loss of mobility in community living people is associated with multiple adverse outcomes, including worsening disability and morbidity, increases in healthcare utilization and costs, admission to residential care, and mortality. A structured moderate intensity physical activity programme can preserve mobility, defined as the ability to independently walk 400 m in less than 15 minutes, in community living older adults (≥70 years). This evidence comes from a well designed and rigorously executed randomized controlled trial (SPRINTT, the Sarcopenia and Physical fRailty IN older people: multi-componenT Treatment strategies) that was conducted at 16 clinical sites across 11 European countries. Further efforts are needed to translate these findings to clinical practice.