Physical Activity of Older People Requires Tailored Monitoring

A study on active aging at the University of Jyväskylä in the Journals of Gerontology: Series A explored movement that surpasses the intensity of preferred walking speed, reports Medical Xpress , "By measuring their preferred walking speed we were able to assess the time that our participants exercised more strenuously than what is their usual exertion level and what is beyond their comfort zone," said Jyväskylä's Laura Karavirta. Participants achieved 62 minutes of activity, on average, beyond the intensity of their preferred walking speed, and this amount of activity was similar among 75-, 80-, and 85-year-olds, regardless of age. "The new method enables us to investigate physical activity as individual behavior, which is not influenced by fitness level," noted Karavirta. All adults are generally recommended a weekly minimum of 150 minutes of at least moderate intensity physical activity, defined as exceeding three times the energy consumption of rest. "For most young adults, it feels easy and corresponds to slow walking but for some older adults it may be the hardest effort they can perform," said Karavirta.