Abstract
BackgroundIntergenerational exercise possesses the potential to becoming an innovative strategy for promoting physical activity in seniors and children. Although this approach has gained attraction within the last decade, controlled trials on physical and psychosocial effects have not been performed yet.MethodsSixty-eight healthy preschool children (age: 4.9 y (SD 0.7)) and 47 residential seniors (age: 81.7 y (7.1)) participated in this five-armed intervention study. All participants were assigned to either an intergenerational (IG), peer (PG) or a control group (CON). Children were tested on gross motor skills (TGMD-2), jump performance and handgrip strength. Social-emotional skills questionnaires (KOMPIK) were assessed by kindergarten teachers. Seniors performed the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), including gait speed. Arterial stiffness parameters were also examined. Questionnaires assessing psychosocial wellbeing were filled in with staff. IG and PG received one comparable exercise session a week lasting 45 minutes for 25-weeks. CON received no intervention. Measurements were performed before and after the intervention.ResultsIn children: IG improved all measured physical parameters. When adjusted for baseline values, large effects were observed in favor of IG compared to CON in TGMD-2 (Cohen’s d=0.78 [0.33;1.24]) and in handgrip strength (d = 1.07 [0.63;1.51]). No relevant differences were found in KOMPIK between groups (−0.38<d≤0.14). In seniors: IG showed moderate to very large improvements in all main physical performance (0.61<d≤2.53) and psychosocial parameters (0.89<d≤1.20) compared to CON.ConclusionIG children showed large benefits in motor skills compared to CON while IG seniors benefit especially in psychosocial wellbeing and functional mobility necessary for everyday life. Intergenerational exercise is comparable and in certain dimensions superior to peer group exercise and a promising strategy to integratively improve mental health as well as physical fitness in preschool children and residential seniors.
Highlights
Throughout the human evolutionary process, intergenerational learning has been the informal vehicle within families to systematically transfer information, knowledge, skills and culture between generations (Hoff, 2007)
This study examined the effects of an intergenerational exercise training program on physical as well as psychosocial health parameters of preschool children and residential seniors compared to peer group training and inactive control groups
Our results show that both generations, preschool children as well as seniors living in a home for the elderly, can benefit from an intergenerational exercise setting, both on a physical as well as on a psychosocial level
Summary
Throughout the human evolutionary process, intergenerational learning has been the informal vehicle within families to systematically transfer information, knowledge, skills and culture between generations (Hoff, 2007). Intergenerational exercise possesses the potential to becoming an innovative strategy for promoting physical activity in seniors and children. This approach has gained attraction within the last decade, controlled trials on physical and psychosocial effects have not been performed yet. In seniors: IG showed moderate to very large improvements in all main physical performance (0.61
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