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Diet, Physical Activity, Obesity and New Technologies (eHealth) in Older Adults

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Exercise and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 20083

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gemma María Gea García

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Guest Editor

Department of Sport Science, Faculty of Sport Sciences, San Antonio Catholic University, 30107 Murcia, Spain
Interests: physical activity; older people; functional autonomy assessment; aging; health; physical condition

Dr. Gerson Ferrari

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Guest Editor

Escuela de Ciencias de la Actividad Física, el Deporte y la Salud, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 3363, Chile
Interests: physical activity; sedentary behavior; obesity; healthy lifestyle; exercise science; public health; nutritional epidemiology
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Dr. Cristian Cofre Bolados

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Escuela de Ciencias de la Actividad Física, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), el Deporte y la Salud, Chile
Interests: metabolic syndrome; cardiovascular risk; metabolism; hypertension; insulin resistance; abdominal obesity; diabetes; obesity; physical activity; sedentary behavior; healthy lifestyle; exercise science; public health; nutritional epidemiology

Dr. Emilio Jofré-Saldía

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Guest Editor

Institute of Health Sciences, University of O'Higgins, Rancagua 2820000, Chile
Interests: exercise in older adults; strength training; muscle fitness; physical function; exercise and health; physical activity and health; exercise physiology; training methodology; physical evaluation; technology; quality of life; motivation and exercise

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Society is immersed in a process of demographic change, marked by the increase in the proportion of older people. This apparent aging is also accompanied by the increase in life expectancy of this population nucleus. Consequently, one of the great challenges should be to increase the existing social awareness regarding the need of acquiring healthier habits and lifestyles, not only at this age, but in all population groups, to thus be able to reach this stage of life in the best possible health conditions. If we consider that two other major health threats appear to be associated with aging—obesity and sarcopenia, which are a direct consequence of physical inactivity, lack of physical exercise and/or poor or inadequate nutritional intake—it is necessary to stress the need of developing specific programs geared towards older adults that take work into account combining both physical and nutritional aspects, in order to counteract the harmful or negative effects that obesity and sarcopenia have in the elderly. Finally, any type of intervention or program for older adults must be adapted to the needs and particularities of the population. For this reason, each program must consider other psychological and motivational aspects for its effective development that facilitate the generation and maintenance of healthy habits in the period of long-term aging. Considering that in the future older adults will be a population with a higher level of digital literacy than their current peers, new strategies to promote the practice of physical activity, exercise and nutrition should consider the use of new digital technologies as a useful tool to stimulate and promote this change of healthier lifestyles and habits in the elderly. This Special Issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) focuses on the current state of knowledge on the interaction between physical activity and exercise programs, nutritional state, psychological and motivational factors, and recent technologies as a fundamental aspect to be considered in strategies to promote programs that reduce the problems of obesity and sarcopenia in the older adult population. We welcome articles that explore the interconnection between all factors, with a focus on healthy aging. We will accept manuscripts from different fields, including sport and exercise science, physiology, health sciences, and health education.

Dr. Gemma María Gea García
Dr. Gerson Ferrari
Dr. Cristian Cofre Bolados
Dr. Emilio Jofré-Saldía
Guest Editors

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Keywords

sarcopenic obesity
obesity
nutrition
dietary habits
inadequate nutritional intake
physical activity
exercise
healthy habits and lifestyles
health conditions
eHealth
wearables
exergaming
digital technologies
psychology
physiology
health education
elderly
aging

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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12 pages, 820 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Overweight in Older Adults: A Follow-Up of Fifteen Years of the SABE Survey

by Tânia Aparecida de Araujo, Isabela Martins Oliveira, Tarsila Guimarães Vieira da Silva, Vanderlei Carneiro da Silva and Yeda Aparecida de Oliveira Duarte

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 5098; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20065098 - 14 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1542

Abstract

Despite extensive research on overweight and obesity, there are few studies that present longitudinal statistical analyses among non-institutionalized older adults, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with excess weight in older adults from the same cohort over a period of fifteen years. A total of 264 subjects aged (≥60 years) from the SABE survey (Health, Wellbeing and Aging) in the years 2000, 2006, 2010, and 2015 in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, were evaluated. Overweight was assessed by a BMI of ≥28 kg/m². Multinomial logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and health data were used to assess factors associated with excess weight. After normal weight, overweight was the most prevalent nutritional status in all evaluated periods: 34.02% in 2000 (95%CI: 28.29–40.26); 34.86% in 2006 (95%CI: 28.77–41.49%); 41.38% in 2010 (95%CI: 35.25–47.79); 33.75% in 2015 (95%CI: 28.02–40.01). Being male was negatively associated with being overweight in all years (OR: 0.34 in 2000; OR: 0.36 in 2006; OR: 0.27 in 2010; and OR: 0.43 in 2015). A greater number of chronic diseases and worse functionality were the main factors associated with overweight, regardless of gender, age, marital status, education, physical activity, and alcohol or tobacco consumption. Older adults with overweight and obesity, a greater number of chronic diseases, and difficulties in carrying out daily tasks required a greater commitment to healthcare. Health services must be prepared to accommodate this rapidly growing population in low- and middle-income countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Physical Activity, Obesity and New Technologies (eHealth) in Older Adults)

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14 pages, 4090 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of a Multi-Professional Intervention on Mental Health of Middle-Aged Overweight Survivors of COVID-19: A Clinical Trial

by Joed Jacinto Ryal, Victor Augusto Santos Perli, Déborah Cristina de Souza Marques, Ana Flávia Sordi, Marilene Ghiraldi de Souza Marques, Maria Luiza Camilo, Rute Grossi Milani, Jorge Mota, Pablo Valdés-Badilla and Braulio Henrique Magnani Branco

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4132; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054132 - 25 Feb 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2157

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of a multi-professional intervention model on the mental health of middle-aged, overweight survivors of COVID-19. A clinical trial study with parallel groups and repeated measures was conducted. For eight weeks, multi-professional interventions were conducted (psychoeducation, nutritional intervention, and physical exercises). One hundred and thirty-five overweight or obese patients aged 46.46 ± 12.77 years were distributed into four experimental groups: mild, moderate, severe COVID, and control group. The instruments were used: mental health continuum-MHC, revised impact scale–IES-r, generalized anxiety disorder-GAD-7, and Patient health questionnaire PHQ-9, before and after eight weeks. The main results indicated only a time effect, with a significant increase in global MHC scores, emotional well-being, social well-being, and psychological well-being, as well as detected a significant reduction in global IES-R scores, intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal, in addition to a reduction in GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores (p < 0.05). In conclusion, it was possible to identify those psychoeducational interventions that effectively reduced anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms in post-COVID-19 patients, regardless of symptomatology, in addition to the control group. However, moderate and severe post-COVID-19 patients need to be monitored continuously since the results of these groups did not follow the response pattern of the mild and control groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Physical Activity, Obesity and New Technologies (eHealth) in Older Adults)

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24 pages, 2613 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multicomponent Training in Progressive Phases Improves Functional Capacity, Physical Capacity, Quality of Life, and Exercise Motivation in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial

by Emilio Jofré-Saldía, Álvaro Villalobos-Gorigoitía, Cristián Cofré-Bolados, Gerson Ferrari and Gemma María Gea-García

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2755; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032755 - 3 Feb 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3525

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a multicomponent progressive training program (MPTP) on functionality, quality of life (QoL) and motivation to exercise (EM) in a group of older adults (OA) of a community. Methods: A total of 55 participants of 69.42 ± 6.01 years of age were randomized into two groups; experimental (EG:35) and control (CG:20), and subjected to 27 weeks of MPTP. Functionality (pre/post-intervention) was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Time Up and Go (TUG), Walking While Talking Test (WWT), Manual Dynamometry (MD), Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV₁), Sit and Reach (SR), Back Scratch (BS), and walk for 2 min (2 mST). QoL was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire and EM using the BREQ-3. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Levene tests were applied. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA was applied. A significance level of p < 0.05 was accepted for all comparisons. Results: The EG compared to the CG improved in SPPB (ΔEG/CG: 29.67%/p < 0.001), TUG (ΔEG/CG: 35.70%/p < 0.05), WWT (ΔEG/CG: 42.93%/p < 0.001), MD (ΔEG/CG: 20.40%/p < 0.05), FEV₁ (ΔEG/CG: 21.37%/p < 0.05), BS (ΔEG/CG: 80.34%/p < 0.05), 2 mST (ΔEG/CG: 33.02%/p < 0.05), SF-36 (ΔEG/CG: 13.85%/p < 0.001), and Intrinsic Regulation (ΔEG/CG: 27.97%/p < 0.001); Identified by regulation (ΔEG/CG: 9.29%/p < 0.05). Conclusion: An MPTP improves functionality, QoL and EM, and is a safe and effective method for community OAs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Physical Activity, Obesity and New Technologies (eHealth) in Older Adults)

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12 pages, 1103 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationship between Asymmetries and Functional Autonomy in Older Chilean Adults

by Álvaro Huerta Ojeda, Vanieska Toro-Zepeda, Emilio Jofré-Saldía, Maximiliano Bravo, Carol Parra, Gaspar Campos-Armijo, Carlos Jorquera-Aguilera, Makarena Albornoz Hernández, María-Mercedes Yeomans-Cabrera and Sergio Galdames Maliqueo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15063; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215063 - 16 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2064

Abstract

The objectives of this study were: (a) to determine asymmetries, both lower limb (LL) and upper limb (UL), in Chilean older adults, and (b) to relate asymmetries to FA in both LL and UL. Forty-one older adults voluntarily participated in this study (mean ± standard deviation [SD]: age 72.0 ± 8.0 years, LL asymmetries 13.78 ± 14.87%, UL asymmetries 10.70 ± 8.85%, FA 40.35 ± 16.26 points). The variables were: (1) asymmetries of LL and UL, assessed through a force platform and handgrip, respectively; (2) FA, assessed through the Latin American Group for Maturity (GDLAM) and the GDLAM index of autonomy (GI) protocol. The relationship between the variables was performed through Spearman’s correlation. The analysis showed that 39% of the participants presented asymmetries above 15% in the LL. Likewise, this 39% of older adults presented a lower FA than their peers with asymmetries below 15% in the LL (≤15%: 35.64 ± 12.26 points vs. >15%: 47.69 ± 19.23 points, p = 0.003). The analysis showed a small correlation between LL and GI asymmetries (r = 0.27, p = 0.07) and a small but negative correlation between UL and GI (r = −0.21). The mean values of asymmetries of both LL and UL are within ‘normal’ parameters. However, several older adults were identified as being at risk. In parallel, older adults who presented a higher level of asymmetries in LL showed a lower level of FA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Physical Activity, Obesity and New Technologies (eHealth) in Older Adults)

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11 pages, 1021 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Warm-Up and Handgrip Strength in Physically Inactive Chilean Older Females According to Baseline Nutritional Status

by Jordan Hernandez-Martinez, María Castillo-Cerda, Tiago Vera-Assaoka, Bastian Carter-Thuillier, Tomás Herrera-Valenzuela, Eduardo Guzmán-Muñoz, Braulio Henrique Magnani Branco, Emilio Jofré-Saldía and Pablo Valdés-Badilla

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13335; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013335 - 16 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2269

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the effect of different types of warm-ups on handgrip strength (HGS) in physically inactive older females. Secondarily, it aims to compare HGS according to their baseline nutritional status. A randomized crossover trial study was conducted with 44 physically inactive older females distributed into normal weight (n = 12, BMI = 23.9 ± 3.2 kg/m²), overweight (n =16, BMI = 27 ± 4.7 kg/m²) and obese (n = 16, BMI = 31.6 ± 5.3 kg/m²), who participated in three warm-up conditions (static stretching condition, SSC; elastic band condition, EBC; and therapeutic compression ball condition, TCBC) and one control condition (CC, no warm-up). All participants performed the four randomized conditions with recovery within 72 h. A significant decrease (p < 0.05) in HGS for the dominant and non-dominant hands was observed when comparing SSC vs. CC. In contrast, comparing the warm-up conditions according to the baseline nutritional status, statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were only reported in the obese group in the dominant and non-dominant hand in favor of CC concerning SSC. In conclusion, warm-up with static flexibility led to a decrease in HGS in physically inactive older females. Only the obese group exhibited this result when analyzed by nutritional status. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Physical Activity, Obesity and New Technologies (eHealth) in Older Adults)

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14 pages, 1023 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Effects of Multicomponent Exercise Training on the Health of Older Women with Osteoporosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Diego Gama Linhares, Claudio Joaquim Borba-Pinheiro, Juliana Brandão Pinto de Castro, Andressa Oliveira Barros dos Santos, Luciano Lima dos Santos, Lilliany de Souza Cordeiro, Alexandre Janotta Drigo, Rodolfo de Alkmim Moreira Nunes and Rodrigo Gomes de Souza Vale

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14195; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114195 - 30 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 7518

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the effects of multicomponent exercise training in older women with osteoporosis. We conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines and registered on PROSPERO (number CRD42022331137). We searched MEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, and CINHAL databases for randomized experimental trials that analyzed the effects of physical exercise on health-related variables in older women with osteoporosis. The risk of bias in the studies was verified using the Cochrane Collaboration tool and the Jadad scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies. Fourteen randomized controlled trials were included, with a total of 544 participants in the experimental group and 495 in the control group. The mean age of all participants was 68.4 years. The studies combined two to four different exercise types, including strength, aerobic, balance, flexibility, and/or functional fitness training. The practice of multicomponent training with an average of 27.2 weeks, 2.6 sessions per week, and 45 min per session showed improvements in strength, flexibility, quality of life, bone mineral density, balance, and functional fitness and reduced the risk of falls in older women with osteoporosis. Multicomponent training was shown to be effective in improving health-related variables in older women with osteoporosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Physical Activity, Obesity and New Technologies (eHealth) in Older Adults)

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