Aquatic Exercise Positively Affects Physiological Frailty among Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.
Ji-Hyeon KimMin-Seong HaSoo-Min HaDo-Yeon KimPublished in: Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) (2021)
Frailty is a risk factor associated with aging. Physical exercise is an important lifestyle factor that can help to avoid risks associated with aging. Therefore, we aimed to determine the effects of aquatic exercise for 12 weeks on body composition, cardiovascular disease risk factors, insulin resistance, and aging-related sex hormones in elderly South Korean women. Twenty-two women aged 70-82 years were randomly assigned to groups that participated or did not participate (controls; n = 10 in aquatic exercise for 60 min, three times per week for 12 weeks (n = 12). Exercise intensity defined as the rating of perceived exertion (RPE), was increased from 12-13 to 13-14, and to 14-15 during weeks 1-4, 5-8, and 9-12, respectively. Body composition (skeletal muscle mass, ratio (%) body fat, and waist circumference), cardiovascular disease risk factors (total, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), insulin resistance (glucose, insulin, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]), and aging-related sex hormone changes (dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate [DHEA-S]) and sex hormone-binding globulin [SHBG]) were assessed. Aquatic exercise safely improved body composition, reduced insulin resistance, and positively affected the sex hormones DHEA-S and SHBG as well as blood lipid profiles. Our findings suggested that the aquatic exercise program positively altered blood lipids, regulated glucose levels, and sex hormone levels. Therefore, regular, and continuous aquatic exercise is recommended to prevent frailty, decrease cardiovascular risk, and provide older women with an optimal quality of life as they age.
Keyphrases
- body composition
- resistance training
- insulin resistance
- high intensity
- bone mineral density
- risk factors
- physical activity
- cardiovascular disease
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- postmenopausal women
- risk assessment
- type diabetes
- metabolic syndrome
- high fat diet
- adipose tissue
- skeletal muscle
- community dwelling
- body mass index
- high density
- blood pressure
- randomized controlled trial
- social support
- high fat diet induced
- depressive symptoms
- mental health
- pregnant women
- gestational age
- climate change
- binding protein
- cardiovascular risk factors
- fatty acid