Older Adults, Reduced Physical Activity
Conditions
Brief summary
This study investigates the effects of two weeks of reduced daily ambulation and a subsequent return to normal physical activity on metabolic health of older adults.
Detailed description
Aging results in a progressive loss of muscle mass that is accelerated by periods of muscular disuse, common for older adults during hospitalization or convalescence from illness. Transient physical inactivity has been shown to cause muscular atrophy and impairments in insulin sensitivity in both younger and older adults. However, the recovery capacity of older adults after such physical inactivity remains unknown. This study aims to determine the impact of two weeks of daily step reduction to ≤1000 steps per day, an experimental model mimicking short-term physical inactivity, on glycemic control in older adults and further investigate whether older adults are able to recover from the consequences of this inactivity simply by returning to their habitual activity for 14 days.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALNormal Daily Steps
Complete normal daily ambulation for one week
BEHAVIORALStep-Reduction
Reduce daily ambulation to fewer than 1000 steps per day for two weeks
BEHAVIORALReturn to Normal Daily Steps
Increase daily ambulation to 100% of normal daily step-count for two weeks
Sponsors
Canadian Diabetes Association
McMaster University
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
65 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Non-smoker
Exclusion criteria
* Use of assistive walking devices * Chronic use of analgesic or anti-inflammatory drugs * History of neuromuscular problems or muscle and/or bone wasting disease * Acute or chronic illness including cardiac, pulmonary, liver or kidney abnormalities, uncontrolled hypertension, insulin or non-insulin dependent diabetes or other metabolic disorders * Daily use of statins, particularly simvastatin and atorvastatin * Use of medications known to affect protein metabolism * Normally complete fewer than 3000 steps per day
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Insulin Sensitivity | Measured at the end of each behavioural intervention (Week 1, Week 3, Week 5) | Assessed via Matsuda ISI |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in lean tissue mass | Measured at the end of each behavioural intervention (Week 1, Week 3, Week 5) | Assessed via Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry |
| Change in Peak Isometric Maximal Voluntary Leg Extension Strength | Measured at the end of each behavioural intervention (Week 1, Week 3, Week 5) | Assessed via muscle dynamometry |
| Change in Muscle Protein Synthesis | Measured at the end of each behavioural intervention (Week 1, Week 3, Week 5) | Obtained via vastus lateralis muscle biopsy |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed