Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for IJERPH Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

2nd Edition: Physical Fitness in an Aged Population

Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Related Special Issue
Published Papers

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-Related Quality of Life".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024 | Viewed by 4169

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. José Mª Cancela Carral

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department Special Didactics, Faculty of Education and Sport Sciences, University of Vigo, 36005 Pontevedra, Spain
Interests: dementia; physical activity; physical exercise
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We appreciate your support with our previous Special Issue on “Physical Fitness in an Aged Population” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph/special_issues/Phys_Fitness_Aged).

Human aging is universal and inevitable, although the average life expectancy has improved in the last century. Currently, about 7% of the world's population is aged 65 years or older. In developed countries, this percentage is even higher (15%) and continues to grow. Human aging is associated with physical and cognitive involution, which generates functional implications, reducing the speed of walking, increasing the risk of falls, and causing progressive reduction in the ability to carry out daily activities.

Considering its importance, we are organizing of a second edition on this topic. In this special issue, we will focus on different physical exercise proposals and analyses of their effects on physical fitness in older adults, as well as on the different tools used in their measurement. New research papers, reviews, case reports, and conference articles are welcome, as are articles on new approaches to promoting physical exercise in older adults. Additionally, we will accept methodological articles, position articles, short reports, and commentaries.

Prof. Dr. José Mª Cancela Carral
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

physical fitness
exercise therapy
neurodegenerative diseases
older adults
sports
physical functional performance
gait analysis
exercise test
workload
quality of life

Related Special Issue

Physical Fitness in an Aged Population in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (10 articles)

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

17 pages, 374 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bodily Practices and Meanings Articulated in the Physical Exercise of Older Adults in Santiago de Chile Post-COVID-19

by Alexis Sossa Rojas

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(5), 567; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21050567 - 29 Apr 2024

Viewed by 569

Abstract

This article presents the results of almost nine months of ethnographic research on the relationship between physical exercise and health in older people in the post-COVID-19 context. Via exploratory–descriptive qualitative research and the use of a convenient sample, I shed light on this relationship using the stories and life experiences of 40 older people (10 men and 30 women, including two women instructors for senior classes) who exercise regularly. The meanings they attributed to physical exercise during COVID-19 and after it are explained, emphasising first that there is no health in a context of not feeling safe; once there is a feeling of security, the most relevant meanings can be exposed in three directions. First, exercise produces a sense of identity linked to “being an athlete” and “belonging to a group”. Second, exercising is valued as participating in something meaningful (the meanings range from self-realisation, independence, and autonomy to feelings of happiness). Finally, and linked to the sense of identity, those who train alone show more commitment and total hours spent in physical exercise and physical activity than those who train in groups. Even though older people are not a homogeneous group, they generally faced the pandemic as an ageist situation that affected their lives and how they saw sports and health. This article describes the strategies they used during COVID-19 related to exercise and well-being and those used once the pandemic restrictions were no longer present. The qualitative aspects that physical exercise brings to this population are highlighted. The research results give voice to older people, showing their heterogeneity and the meanings and practices that unite them. These inputs are rich material for studies on physical activity, older people, and well-being. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Physical Fitness in an Aged Population)

15 pages, 1819 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Is There a Relationship between Anthropometric Indices and Muscular, Motor, and Cardiorespiratory Components of Health-Related Fitness in Active European Older Adults?

by José Mª Cancela-Carral, Elena Vila, Iris Machado, Gustavo Rodríguez, Adriana López, Bruno Silva and Pedro Bezerra

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(2), 201; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020201 - 9 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1253

Abstract

The aging process induces alterations in the body, resulting in changes in both health-related fitness and specific anthropometric measures. These changes often pose health risks for older adults. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether there is an association between anthropometric indices and muscular, motor, and cardiorespiratory components of health-related fitness in active European older adults. This study included 2687 European older adults, comprising 1999 women and 688 men, with an average age of 70.05 ± 5.5 years. The assessment included health-related fitness using the Senior Fitness Test and anthropometric indices, such as the body adiposity index, body mass index, conicity index, waist-to-hip ratio, and waist-to-height ratio, among others. The results indicated that gender significantly influences the values of physical performance and anthropometric parameters, making them incomparable. The degree of correlation between anthropometric indices and muscular, motor, and cardiorespiratory components of fitness depends on each anthropometric index analysed. The anthropometric index most correlated with physical fitness performance parameters is the waist-to-height ratio (WHR), followed by the body mass index (BMI). Cardiorespiratory endurance and balance are the two physical parameters most correlated with anthropometric indices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Physical Fitness in an Aged Population)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 940 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Associations between Power Training-Induced Changes in Body Composition and Physical Function in Older Men: A Pre-Test–Post-Test Experimental Study

by Sindre H. Fosstveit, Kolbjørn Lindberg, Thomas Bjørnsen, Erlend E. Sibayan, Joachim S. Fjeller, Sondre Løvold, Tommy Kolnes, Fredrik T. Vårvik, Sveinung Berntsen and Hilde Lohne-Seiler

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(22), 7070; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20227070 - 16 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1942

Abstract

Background: It is well-established that cross-sectional measurements of poor body composition are associated with impaired physical function and that power training effectively enhances total lean mass and physical function in older adults. However, it is unclear if power training-induced changes in body composition are associated with improved physical function in older adults. Aim: The present study investigated associations between body composition and physical function cross-sectionally and with power training-induced changes in older men. Methods: Forty-nine older men (68 ± 5 yrs) completed a 10-week biweekly power training intervention. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Physical function was assessed as a composite Z-score combining measures from Sit-to-stand power, Timed up-and-go time, and loaded and unloaded Stair-climbing time (15 steps). Linear and quadratic regression analyses were performed to assess associations between body composition and physical function. Results: At baseline, total (R² = 0.11, p < 0.05) and percentage body fat (R² = 0.15, p < 0.05) showed a non-linear relationship with physical function. The apex of the quadratic regression for body composition was 21.5% body fat. Furthermore, there was a non-linear relationship between changes in body fat percentage and physical function from pre- to post-intervention (R² = 0.15, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The present study’s findings indicate that participants with a body composition of ~20% body fat displayed the highest level of physical function at baseline. Furthermore, despite small pre–post changes in body fat, the results indicate that those who either preserved their body fat percentage or experienced minor alterations observed the greatest improvements in physical function. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Physical Fitness in an Aged Population)

► Show Figures