None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Data from small studies indicates high-intensity exercise provides significant benefit to the ageing brain; however, previous intervention studies have rarely delivered exercise above moderate-intensity. In addition, although supervised exercise studies in older adults usually report good attendance, they have not reported long-term changes to exercise levels. The current project will determine the feasibility of a study that will compare 12-months of high-intensity and moderate-intensity group-based exercise in older adults, which will include an exercise program coupled with education and behavioural change techniques, in order to try to get people to change their long-term exercise habits. Participants will be allocated to one of three study groups: high-intensity exercise, moderate-intensity exercise, or a stretching control group. All participants will take part in a 12-month intervention, which is split into two blocks: 1) a supervised exercise intervention coupled with group education that will take place at Murdoch University for 3 months, and 2) followed by a 9-month Maintenance period, where participants in the active exercise groups will be provided with gym memberships and booster education sessions every 2 months. Before, during, and after the intervention, participants will undertake a battery of cognitive tests and questionnaires, DXA scans, and assessment of physical function.
Interventions
Exercise delivery: All exercise will be delivered by an accredited exercise physiologist (AEP) or physiotherapist in a group setting (3-5 participants per session). Attendance and exercise completion records will be kept to monitor adherence to the intervention.
High-intensity program (HIP) group: Individuals allocated to this group will complete three exercise and education sessions per week during the three-month Supervised exercise block. This will be followed by a nine-month unsupervised ma
Exercise delivery: All exercise will be delivered by an accredited exercise physiologist (AEP) or physiotherapist in a group setting (3-5 participants per session). Attendance and exercise completion records will be kept to monitor adherence to the intervention. High-intensity program (HIP) group: Individuals allocated to this group will complete three exercise and education sessions per week during the three-month Supervised exercise block. This will be followed by a nine-month unsupervised maintenance period, where participants will be provided with a gym membership and receive regular check-ins by exercise professionals. During the three months of supervised exercise, the intent is for participants in HIP to reach a minimum of 90 minutes of aerobic high-intensity interval training per week delivered on a stationary bike. Aerobic exercise intensity will be set using the Borg scale of perceived exertion (17 to 19 during intervals). In addition to the aerobic exercise, participants will undertake a progressive resistance training program of 40 minutes of progressive resistance exercise targeting major muscle groups and 30 minutes of education relating to healthy lifestyle habits per week. Thus, participants will attend two 50 minute sessions per week (aerobic and resistance training) and one 60 minute session per week (aerobic training and education). Moderate-intensity program (MIP) group: Individuals allocated to this group will complete three exercise and education sessions per week during the three-month Supervised exercise block. This will be followed by a 9 month unsupervised maintenance period, where participants will be provided with a gym membership and receive regular check-ins by exercise professionals. The intent is for participants in MIP to reach a minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic moderate-intensity exercise per week. Aerobic exercise intensity will be set using the Borg scale of perceived exertion (13 to 14). In addition to the aerobic exercise, participants will undertake a progressive resistance training program of 40 minutes of progressive resistance exercise and 30 minutes of education relating to healthy lifestyle habits, per week. Thus, participants will attend two 70 minute sessions per week (aerobic and resistance training) and one 80 minute session per week (aerobic training and education). Unsupervised maintenance period: Participants will be provided with written programmes to follow during the unsupervised portion of this intervention, with the aim of achieving similar intensities of exercise to what will be delivered during the supervised portion. An AEP will regularly check-in with participants (monthly) to discuss their exercise programmes. Our research team will have access to gym attendance records, and participants will wear a FitBit activity monitor throughout this portion of the intervention. Education: The education sessions have been developed to both educate and create long-term behavioural change in our participants. Participants will receive 30 minutes of education, one day a week (delivered by AEP, physiotherapist, or psychologist). These sessions will include information regarding healthy behaviours and group sessions addressing barriers to behaviour change. In addition, 1 hour educational seminars will be delivered on three occasions during the Maintenance portion of the programs, which will continue to encourage exercise levels commensurate with their allocated intervention (i.e. high-intensity, moderate-intensity).
Sponsors
Murdoch University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
- 65-85 years of age - Cognitively normal (normal performance on objective cognitive tests) - Subjective cognitive decline (defined by subjective reports of memory complaints) - Not meeting physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week or 90 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week
Exclusion criteria
• Outside ages 65 to 85 • Non-English speaker • Physical impairments limiting ability to participate in either resistance or aerobic exercise (particularly cycle-based exercise) • Dementia/cognitive decline • Schizophrenia or bipolar disorder • Uncontrolled depression • Untreated sleep apnoea • Alcohol or drug abuse • Serious head injury • Cancer within 5 years (excluding basal cell skin cancers) • Uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes mellitus • Other significant untreated illness • Participating in over 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise p/w or greater than 90 minutes of vigorous intensity activity p/w
Outcome results
None listed