Senior Mobility and Exercise:
Read almost any health publication or website for advice on staying healthy as you age, and you are bound to hear about the benefits of regular exercise and movement. The old saying "use it or lose it" fits nicely here.
A Gene that Interacts With Exercise to Enhance Mobility in Seniors:
The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that the presence of a particular genotype (the angiotensin-converting enzyme [ACE] insertion I/deletion D) assists active adults in avoiding mobility restriction as they age. Notice that the key word here is 'active'. It seems that this particular genotype interacts with exercise to keep a lack of mobility from creeping in.
Who the Study Measured:
The Health Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Cohort Study measured older adults who exercised and who also carried the (ACE DD or ID) genotype(s). The study compared them with other active seniors who possessed a different, but related genotype (II genotype). The participants were between 70 and 79 years of age. There were 3075 participants.
How the Study was Conducted:
The study measured the report of difficulty in either walking 3/4 mile or walking up 10 steps in a flight of stairs. The seniors were tested and interviewed twice in a one year period (in 6 month intervals).
No Excuses!:
Even in light of this study, every person can benefit from exercise. The study states that "Regardless of genotype, individuals who exercised were less likely to develop mobility limitation than those who did not exercise".1
Bibliography:
1 Kritchevsky, Nicklas, Visser, Simonsick, Newman, Harris, Lang, Pennix, Goodpaster, Satterfield, Colbert, Rubin, and Pahor. Original Contribution JAMA Vol 294 No. 6 August 10, 2005. Retrieved from: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/294/6/691 August 22, 2005
