Healthy Ageing - Benefits of Physical Activity

Running head: HEALTHY AGEING
HEALTHY AGEING
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1HEALTHY AGEING
This study will focus on the benefits of physical activity for resistance training and
ageing among the older population. The case study revolves around the old retried man,
Frederic Arum, 78 years old, a widower. He was a retired university professor who was quite
active in his older days. Recently he was experiencing unreliable memory and joint pain,
which was considered as the principle signs of ageing and he therefore required an immediate
attention to enhance his physical activity. The aim of the study is to identify the benefits of
physical training and exercise that will help him to reduce the symptoms of ageing. Healthy
ageing is defined as the course of development and retaining the functional and physical
capability which would enable wellbeing among the older population (Kendig, 2017). Critical
analysis of four different articles will be conducted in this study that will assist in providing
the benefits of physical training and exercise among the older population for healthy ageing.
Physical training and exercise is considered as the most promising intervention for
preventing or delaying the cognitive decline among the individuals who are 50 years or older.
According to Northey et al. (2018), the cognitive capability of the older adults is affected
drastically and is often considered as the sign of ageing. The researcher had highlighted that
physical exercise intervention is most effective for improving the intellectual functions
among the older adults. Physical exercise intervention such as resistance training, tai chi,
aerobic training and multicomponent training are the most beneficial physical; exercise that
will aid in improving the cognitive function of the older people. According to the
Australian’s Physical Activity and Sedentary behaviour Guidelines, the older adults who
effectively engage in the regular physical activities such as strength training (ST), moderate-
to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and less amount of time consumed in
sedentary behaviour (SB) are more healthy and active in their older age as compared to the
individuals who are not involved in physical training and exercise (Department of Health,
2019).

2HEALTHY AGEING
According to Fisher et al. (2017), physical resistance training has a beneficial and
healthy effect on the older people as it is directly related to enhanced muscle mass, muscular
strength and decreased mortality factors. The researcher had opted to consider effective
resistance training as a medicine that will aid in improving or preventing the onset of natural
ageing. Whereas, Daskalopoulou et al. (2017), stated that effective physical activity has the
direct effect on the process of ageing and can help the individual to achieve a healthy ageing
especially in high-income areas. The researcher had stated that the overall relation of physical
exercise and healthy ageing is associated with different confounding factors in middle and
low income areas. The effect of physical training is not only responsible for enhancing
muscle strength but also influence the cognitive function of the individual. Li et al. (2018),
stated that resistance training is an effective intervention that will aim to delay or prevent
cognitive deterioration among the older adults. The researcher highlighted that resistance
training has no significant role in improving the attention and memory of the individual. The
triweekly resistance training is more beneficial for improving the cognitive function as
compared to the biweekly training. According to Vasiliadis & Bélanger (2018), the socio-
economic status of the individual affects their health related quality of life (HR-QOL) that
eventually hamper their physical activity to attain healthy ageing. Hence, the researcher had
completely highlighted a different perspective as compared to the other researchers by
focusing on the strategies to mediate psycho-social barriers linked with physical exercise
among older population. Hence, based on the key themes extracted from the different
research articles, it was evident that Frederic should take part in different rent physical
training and exercise that will directly influence his ageing process and also improve his
cognitive function.
The common relationship relating to the concept of physical exercise and healthy
ageing was evident from the research articles, which would be beneficial for Frederic to

3HEALTHY AGEING
attain a healthy ageing process. Physical activity act as the health determinant for achieving
efficient health related quality of life that will in turn enhance the general and mental health
of the individual. All the above mentioned researchers have shared a common goal of
motivating the older patients to take up different forms of physical training and exercise that
will help them to enhance their muscle strength and mass and also provide a process of
healthy ageing. Hence, Frederic will get appropriate motivation to adapt physical training and
exercise for reducing the initial symptoms of ageing like joint pain and weak memory after
critically reviewing the four research articles. The research articles have also focused on the
concept of overcoming the sedentary lifestyle that will act as the major barrier towards
achieving a healthy life. Hence, all the four research articles have exhibited a positive
association of physical exercise (PE) and healthy ageing (HA) among the older population.
The area of agreement for all the four research articles were the positive association
between the physical exercise and healthy ageing. The positive influence of physical training
and exercise for improving the cognitive function among the older people was also agreed by
every researchers. However, Vasiliadis & Bélanger (2018) stated that the influence of
physical exercise on healthy ageing was more in higher-income countries where the
individuals can easily access the resources and stay healthy as compared to the low and
middle income countries. Fisher et al. (2017), also highlighted an area of disagreement stating
that too much of physical exercise can result in side-effects such as overreaching, which will
affect the immune system of the individual further resulting in psychological disturbance and
health issue. Hence, the researcher exhibited that the patient must be aware of the total time
period for which they should exercise so that they can overcome from the risk of excess
exercise side-effects. The major areas of disagreement was that not all the researcher have
identified the determinants or factor that would hamper the successful implementation of
physical exercise and training. In case of Frederic, it was evident that he lacked effective

4HEALTHY AGEING
knowledge regarding the benefits of physical exercise and the time that he should spend on
exercise in order to achieve a healthy ageing.
In this study, all the research articles had followed quantitative research design
approach that is relevant in fulfilling the aim of the study. This study revolves around the
case study of Frederic and hence quantitative research design will help the patient to relate
with the incidence as the data is extracted from an observation perspective or by cohort study.
Li et al. (2018) had conducted a randomized control trail (RCT) that will ageing process of
older population performing physical exercise and the other set of observation population not
performing physical exercise. Daskalopoulou et al. (2017) and Vasiliadis & Bélanger (2018)
had conducted a cohort study, where they have linked the cause of ageing with the possible
risk factors (health determinants) and the intervention that can be used to overcome form the
condition. Both the researcher have aimed to link the health outcome with the risk factors that
act as a barrier for achieving healthy ageing. Fisher et al. (2017) had conducted participant
observation and extracted the result based on the health outcome of the population after
performing resistance training. Therefore, the quantitative research design is also helpful for
the patient to understand the different pros and cons of implementing physical exercise for
healthy ageing and increase his awareness regarding the benefits of physical exercise and
training.
Daskalopoulou et al. (2017), stated that the strength of research article was the
selection of relevant papers that have helped them to gain confidence regarding the
assessment of physical exercise on achieving healthy ageing. Whereas the limitation of the
study was that the researcher had selected the paper with different attrition rate and follow up
time that generated a state of confusion regarding the suitable exercise time with minimal
side effects. Li et al. (2018), stated that the research has exhibited complete summary of
resistance training for cognitive function in the patient with or without mild cognitive

5HEALTHY AGEING
impairment whereas the limitation would be the language biasness. Vasiliadis & Bélanger
(2018) reported the association of physical exercise and sex of the patient living in the
primary care setting exhibiting the different confounding factors that affects the process of
healthy ageing whereas the limitation of the study was that the selected patient belonged to
the primary care setting and not from the general population that could result in biasness.
Fisher et al. (2017) had exhibited the benefits of three particular exercise that would enhance
muscle strength and mass of the population and weakness of the paper was that the research
failed to link the benefit of exercise with the psychological aspect.
Hence it can be concluded that all the four research articles have highlighted that
adequate physical exercise and training is beneficial and have a positive impact on the
process of healthy ageing. This research articles would benefit Frederic to understand the
advantages of physical exercise and how this would aid in improving his joint pain and weak
memory. He can follow the instructions of GP and perform the required physical exercise that
will promote healthy ageing in his condition. Although, the primary research gap was that all
the four researchers have failed to collectively summarise the effect of physical exercise and
training on both enhancing muscle strength and cognitive function in an individual. Hence, it
is established that effective physical exercise has a positive influence on enhancing the
process of ageing among the older population by improving their muscle strength and
cognitive function.

6HEALTHY AGEING
References
Daskalopoulou, C., Stubbs, B., Kralj, C., Koukounari, A., Prince, M., & Prina, A. M. (2017).
Physical activity and healthy ageing: A systematic review and meta-analysis of
longitudinal cohort studies. Ageing research reviews, 38, 6-17.
Department of Health. (2019). Department of Health | Australia's Physical Activity and
Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines.
Retrieved 26 August 2019, from
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubhlth-
strateg-phys-act-guidelines
Fisher, J. P., Steele, J., Gentil, P., Giessing, J., & Westcott, W. L. (2017). A minimal dose
approach to resistance training for the older adult; the prophylactic for aging.
Experimental gerontology, 99, 80-86.
Kendig, H. (2017). Directions and choices on ageing for the future. In Ageing in Australia
(pp. 263-279). Springer, New York, NY.
Li, Z., Peng, X., Xiang, W., Han, J., & Li, K. (2018). The effect of resistance training on
cognitive function in the older adults: a systematic review of randomized clinical
trials. Aging clinical and experimental research, 30(11), 1259-1273.
Northey, J. M., Cherbuin, N., Pumpa, K. L., Smee, D. J., & Rattray, B. (2018). Exercise
interventions for cognitive function in adults older than 50: a systematic review with
meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med, 52(3), 154-160.
Vasiliadis, H. M., & Bélanger, M. F. (2018). The prospective and concurrent effect of
exercise on health related quality of life in older adults over a 3 year period. Health
and quality of life outcomes, 16(1), 15.