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The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences Advance Access published online on January 30, 2009
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, doi:10.1093/gerona/gln041
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.

The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot (LIFE-P): 2-Year Follow-up

W. Jack Rejeski1, Anthony P. Marsh1, Elizabeth Chmelo1, Abbie J. Prescott1, Meredith Dobrosielski1, Michael P. Walkup2, Mark Espeland2, Michael E. Miller2 and Stephen Kritchevsky3

1 Department of Health and Exercise Science
2 Department of Biostatistical Sciences
3 Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Address correspondence to Dr W. Jack Rejeski, PhD, Department of Health and Exercise Science, Wake Forest University, Box 7868, Winston-Salem, NC 27109. Email: rejeski{at}wfu.edu


  Abstract

Background.: It is well recognized that physical activity (PA) is important for older adults; yet, clinicians remain pessimistic about the ability of older adults with compromised function to adhere to long-term treatment and to maintain behavior change once treatment has been terminated.

Methods.: We examined the functional status of older adults at a field center (Wake Forest University) 2 years after completing 12 months of treatment in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot study. At baseline, participants were randomized to either a PA or a successful aging (SA) control group. Outcome measures included an interview assessment of PA, the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and performance on a 400-m self-paced walking test.

Results.: Two years after the formal intervention had ended, participants who were originally in the PA group continued to engage in more minutes of moderate PA and tended to have better SPPB and walking speed than those in the SA group (effect sizes [ES]: SPPB = 0.40, walking speed = 0.37). Seven (12.7%) participants in the PA group failed the 400-m walk at the 36-month follow-up assessment, whereas this number was 11 (21.6%) in the SA group.

Conclusion.: Older adults who have compromised physical function are able to sustain some of the benefits derived from participating in structured PA 2 years after supervised treatment has been terminated.

Keywords Aging; Disability; Mobility; SPPB; 400-m walk

Received: March 27, 2008; Accepted: August 20, 2008

Decision Editor: Luigi Ferrucci, MD, PhD


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