A small study published in GeroScience reported that lifelong aerobic physical activity was associated with higher “vitality capacity” in older adults. About 40 people with an average age of 64 in Nice were studied. Nearly half of the participants had engaged in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least three times a week for at least 2.5 hours over 30 years; the weekly physical activity of the other 20 people did not exceed 75 minutes.
Heart rhythm, muscle strength, blood values and lung function were converted into a vitality score using questionnaires and wearable sensor data. This score was developed to assess the physiological reserve that enables the body to cope with stress and to distinguish healthy from pathological aging.
No significant differences were observed between the groups in energy metabolism, neuromuscular function, grip and knee strength, lung function or inflammatory markers. Blood oxygen saturation was 96.8% in the active group and 94.8% in the inactive group. The researchers stated that further studies were needed to validate the clinical use of the vitality score.
Why it matters
The findings add a new data point to measurements assessing the relationship between regular aerobic activity and the preservation of physiological reserve with aging. However, the absence of significant differences between the groups in muscle strength, lung function, inflammatory markers and some energy-metabolism measures leaves open the question of which biological areas show the relationship most clearly. The study’s small, observational design limits the ability to conclude that the activity directly caused this outcome. In addition, since the clinical suitability of the vitality score used in the study has not yet been validated, how this measure will be used in individual health assessments depends on broader research.