If you are obese and older your first concern should be losing weight. But equally important is not accelerating your loss of muscle and bone mass while losing the weight, as this could result in sarcopenia and osteopenia.

So this raises the question, should you do aerobic exercise while losing weight, strength training while losing weight, or both aerobic exercise and strength training while losing weight?

Well a 2017 study asked this question and the results are pretty interesting.

The Study

This comprehensive randomized controlled trial involving obese adults aged 65 and older revealed that combining weight loss with both aerobic and resistance exercise leads to superior improvements in physical function and frailty reduction compared to weight loss paired with either aerobic or resistance exercise alone.

How they broke up the group

• Control group (no weight loss or exercise intervention).
• Aerobic exercise plus weight loss.
• Resistance exercise plus weight loss.
• Combined aerobic and resistance exercise plus weight loss.

Key Findings:

• The combined exercise group showed the greatest improvement in physical function (Physical Performance Test scores), frailty measures (Functional Status Questionnaire), and gait speed.
• Resistance exercise and combined exercise helped preserve lean muscle mass and bone mineral density at the hip better than aerobic exercise.
• Aerobic and combined exercise significantly improved peak oxygen consumption.
• All exercise groups showed significant weight loss compared to the control group.
• The combined exercise group had the greatest improvement in quality of life.

Takeaway

For older adults looking to improve your health, especially if you’re managing your weight, combining aerobic exercise and strength training is a winning strategy. Research shows it’s the most effective way to boost physical function, reduce frailty, and keep those muscles strong!

This is great news for us seniors! It’s possible we’ll see more programs like Medicare offering support for weight loss and gym memberships to help seniors stay active

Source:

Aerobic or Resistance Exercise, or Both, in Dieting Obese Older Adults