FUNCTIONAL FITNESS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SEDENTARY AND PHYSICALLY ACTIVE OLDER ADULTS

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1906 Recently, the US Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health and the World Health Organization Guidelines for Physical Activity in Older Persons have endorsed the importance of regular physical activity as an integral part of healthy aging. Both reports stress that regular physical activity is associated with (1) a reduction in risk factors for many chronic diseases, and (2) the preservation of functional independence in old age. While extensive research has examined differences in health status between active and sedentary seniors, relatively less is known about the relationship between activity and functional status in older adults. In this study, a 9 item Functional Fitness Test (FFT) battery was used to assess differences in functional status between 42 physically active (PA; age range 60-84; 24 m, 18 f) and 37 sedentary older adults (SED; age range 60-85; 17 m, 20 f). The following dimensions of Functional Fitness were assessed; (1) Flexibility (Sit& Reach, Scratch, Raising Arms), (2) Agility/Balance (Timed Up & Go, One-Leg Balance), (3) Muscle Strength & Endurance (Arm Curl, Chair Stand), and (4) Aerobic Endurance (Step-in-Place, 9-Minute Walk). The PA group participants had been exercising three times weekly for at least 8 months, whereas, the SED group reported no regular physical activity. Between group analysis of variance revealed significant differences between PA and SED for all aspects of functional fitness with the exception of flexibility. Specifically, active seniors were more agile and exhibited superior balance, they had greater upper and lower body muscle strength, and they had greater aerobic endurance. Surprisingly, no differences in any of the three flexibility measures were found between the active and sedentary groups. Our data suggest that regular physical activity is associated with significant functional benefits in most dimensions of functional fitness.