Abstract
BackgroundAging-related loss of muscle and strength with increased adiposity is prevalent among older people in long-term care (LTC) facilities. Studies have shown that people with sarcopenic obesity (SO) are at high risk of declining physical performance. At present, no interventional studies on residents with SO in nursing homes have been conducted in the literature. The objectives of this study include appraising the changes in body composition and physical performance following resistance training among residents with SO in LTC facilities.MethodsThis study used a quasiexperimental research design. Residents who are 60 years of age or above and have been living a sedentary lifestyle in LTC facilities for the past 3 months will be eligible for inclusion. The intervention group engaged in chair muscle strength training twice a week for 12 weeks, whereas the control group underwent the usual care. The main variables were physical parameters of being lean and fat, the strength of grip and pinch, and a functional independence measure using descriptive analysis, chi-squared test, t-test, and generalized estimating equation for statistical analysis through SPSS.ResultsA total of 64 respondents with SO completed the study. After training, total grip strength (p = 0.001) and total pinch strength (p = 0.014) of the intervention group differed significantly from those of the control group. The right grip strength of the intervention group increased by 1.71 kg (p = 0.003) and the left grip strength improved by 1.35 kg (p = 0.028) compared with baseline values. The self-care scores of the intervention group increased by 2.76 points over baseline scores, particularly for the action of dressing oneself. Although grip strength and self-care scores improved more among those in the intervention group, body fat and skeletal muscle percentages did not differ significantly between the groups after training (p > 0.05).ConclusionsResistance exercises for elderly residents in LTC facilities may play an important role in helping them maintain physical well-being and improve muscle strength.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, number NCT02912338. Retrospectively registered on 09/21/2016.
Highlights
Aging-related loss of muscle and strength with increased adiposity is prevalent among older people in long-term care (LTC) facilities
Two studies have reported that resistance training can increase grip strength [12, 15], one study reported an increase of lean mass [13], one study reported a reduction of body fat mass [14], and one study declared that the effects were statistically insignificant [16]
This study found that twice-a-week chair muscle training with sandbags was feasible for LTC residents with sarcopenic obesity (SO)
Summary
Aging-related loss of muscle and strength with increased adiposity is prevalent among older people in long-term care (LTC) facilities. Resistance training is an important intervention for elderly people in nursing homes [10] It can enhance lean tissue, muscle strength, and functional performance [11]. Two studies have reported that resistance training can increase grip strength [12, 15], one study reported an increase of lean mass [13], one study reported a reduction of body fat mass [14], and one study declared that the effects were statistically insignificant [16] None of these studies were conducted for elderly people with SO in nursing homes. Our research team recalculated the effect size to be 0.76 and a power of 0.85 based on the grip strength variable
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