Get in Shape in the Team Research: Porukalla Kuntoon Tutkimus (PoKu)

Minimum Resistance Training Frequency: Effect on Motivation and Adherence to Train, Overall Health Status and Neuromuscular Performance

It is well accepted that physical activity in the form of resistance training produces a wide variety of neuromuscular-skeletal and health benefits. It is recommended in Finland that older individuals (over 65yr) should perform resistance training twice per week.

Unfortunately, only approx. 5% of older individuals fulfill this recommendation. As Finnish society grows ever older, research should focus on the specific needs of this group and how to improve participation in physical activity, which may ultimately lead to modification of physical activity recommendations - resistance training recommendations are currently the same for young and older adults and do not include specific recommendations on the type of resistance training. However, these recommendations appear to have been developed for "best possible" improvements in maximum strength and muscle size.

Therefore, it is of great importance to identify the number of resistance training sessions per week required to induce improvements in physical fitness, metabolic and bone health status, and importantly the reasons for adherence to/drop-out of resistance training interventions (e.g. motivation to train) in a multi-discipline study. This knowledge would benefit policy makers to update current recommendations for resistance training and to devise strategies to advise realistic targets for resistance training in the older, particularly the less-educated, age group (e.g. TELI-strategy for 2020).

The present study will include a 12-month resistance training intervention with a 12-month follow-up period. Interviews and questionnaires will assess psychological/sociological data and will be collected from both drop-out subjects and those that complete the intervention. Neuromuscular performance and functional capacity will be tested using conventional methods, along with body composition, bone density, and blood tests for metabolic markers of health. Diet and other physical activity will be controlled throughout the intervention period. Measurements are to be performed every 3 months.

It is expected that 5 international peer-reviewed articles will be published in 2016-2017. The data will be presented at international and national conferences in 2015-2017. Finally, results of the entire research will be published in national peer-reviewed journals (e.g. The Age Institute's "Raportteja"). All subjects will be invited to attend an information meeting where group results will be presented and explained.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Aging; Muscle Strength
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Resistance training

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 105
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 65 years to 75 years (Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• BMI<37
• Does not smoke
• Able to perform all tests and exercises
• Free from episodes during physical activity

Exclusion Criteria:

• BMI>37
• Use of waling aids
• Previous testosterone-altering treatment, e.g. in cancer treatment or hypogonadism
• Serious cardiovascular disease that may lead to complications during exercise
• Use of pharmaceuticals that affect neuromuscular or endocrine systems
• Regular endurance training>3hr per week
• Resistance training experience

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Training once per week; Subjects train once per week in the University gym. All training sessions are supervised by the researchers.	Behavioral: Resistance training; Whole-body resistance training in the University gym that is supervised by researchers. Training once per week, Training twice per week, Training thrice per week.
Experimental: Training twice per week; Subjects train twice per week in the University gym. All training sessions are supervised by the researchers.	Behavioral: Resistance training; Whole-body resistance training in the University gym that is supervised by researchers. Training once per week, Training twice per week, Training thrice per week.
Experimental: Thrice per week; Subjects train three times per week in the University gym. All training sessions are supervised by the researchers.	Behavioral: Resistance training; Whole-body resistance training in the University gym that is supervised by researchers. Training once per week, Training twice per week, Training thrice per week.
No Intervention: Non-training Control group; Subjects continue with their normal daily lives, just performing measurements

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Force production (Isometric and dynamic maximum strength tests of lower limbs)	Isometric and dynamic maximum strength tests of lower limbs	Change from baseline at 3, 9 and 15 months with data presented at 24 months post-initiation
Muscle hypertrophy (Cross-sectional area of quadriceps and triceps surae muscles)	Cross-sectional area of quadriceps and triceps surae muscles	Change from baseline at 3, 9 and 15 months with data presented at 24 months post-initiation

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Body composition (DXA scanning)	for body fat and fat-free mass	Change from baseline at 3, 9 and 15 months with data presented at 24 months post-initiation
Blood count	Basic blood count	Change from baseline at 3, 9 and 15 months with data presented at 24 months post-initiation
Oral glucose tolerance test	Oral glucose tolerance test assessed for glucose and insulin concentrations	Change from baseline at 3, 9 and 15 months with data presented at 24 months post-initiation
Basal hormone concentrations	Basal hormone concentrations from serum	Change from baseline at 3, 9 and 15 months with data presented at 24 months post-initiation

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Jyvaskyla
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Simon Walker, Ph.D, Univeristy of Jyvasklya

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: January 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): June 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 19, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 8, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): April 9, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): October 25, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 24, 2016
• Last Verified: October 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Aging; Sarcopenia; Strength; Muscle mass; Resistance training
• Other Study ID Numbers: OKM/70/626/2014