Gymnastics and Multicomponent Training Intervention in Community-dwelling Older Adults

Community-based Multicomponent Training and Gymnastics Intervention

Introduction: Extension projects focused on physical activity can offer health practices and promote quality of life for participants of different ages. Investing in extension projects with a research interface can contribute to relevant insights for teaching knowledge. Furthermore, the progressive aging of the population makes it essential to identify individuals at risk of functional decline and to implement evidence-based interventions that allow for the reduction of these losses, enabling a better quality of life for the elderly. The WHO developed the guideline that addresses healthy development, with strategies to promote healthy aging based on solid concepts, with data on their applicability in a real-life scenario, especially from intervention studies. Objective: To evaluate the impact of interventions focused on Gymnastics and multicomponent training on the intrinsic capacity of adult and elderly participants in extension projects at UFBA. Methodology: This is an intervention study within an extension project with a research focus, encompassing adult individuals (participants in MOVEGINBA) and elderly individuals of both sexes, aged 60 years or older (participants in the MOVEGINBA 60+ project). Participants will be evaluated regarding anthropometric, sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, and physical-functional performance. As well as quality of life, sleep quality, fear of falling, and independence in activities of daily living. Tests and interviews will be conducted before and after the intervention. The results of this study will be fundamental to understanding the implications of the multicomponent gymnastics/training intervention for the participants.

Keywords: Aging; Physical capacity; Gymnastics.

Study Overview

• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Conditions: Older Adults (60 - 85 Years Old)
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Multicomponent training intervention Multicomponent training intervention - Protocol includes mobility, resistance exercises for the lower and upper limbs and major muscle groups, and aerobic exercise

Detailed Description

University outreach programs should be offered to promote the health and quality of life of the general population, taking into account diverse target audiences. Viewing outreach as an extension of the university into the community, the MOVEGINBA project-registered with PROEXC under number 23132-has been conducted in the Faculty of Education's exercise studio since the first semester of 2025, serving adults, students from various academic programs, and the general public through training activities. Concurrently, the global population is aging rapidly, with significant impacts on economies and healthcare systems. In Brazil, the population aged 65 and older is projected to rise from the current 20 million in 2020 (9.8% of the population) to over 50 million by 2050 (21.8% of the population). Given this scenario, public policies capable of mitigating age-related loss of functional capacity are both urgent and essential. In its report on health and aging, the WHO defined healthy aging as a process requiring the promotion and maintenance of functional capacities that enable individual well-being. Thus, optimizing the health of older adults through strategies that identify high-risk individuals and propose actions to prevent or delay the progression of functional decline appears to be the best approach to reducing the strain on healthcare systems.

In 2017, the WHO published guidelines for healthy development, which address health and well-being and encompass physical activity for individuals. With this perspective in mind, extension activities are encouraged and take place within the university setting, focusing on older adults; to this end, we offer the MOVEGINBA 60+ program-registered with PROEXC under number 23351-which addresses the specific gaps and needs of this demographic. Consequently, gymnastics-based extension projects are conducted at the Federal University of Bahia.

It is essential to understand the implications of such projects for participants regarding emotional health, physical capacity, agility, social interaction, and the intrinsic capacity of older adults. Therefore, this study aims to understand the implications of gymnastics-focused interventions for participants and to analyze their impact on the target population. This initiative is an extension project with a research component-encompassing undergraduate capstone projects and graduate studies-that contributes significantly to people's quality of life.

Conditions: Must be an older adult (over 60 years of age). Must be capable of performing any physical activity independently. Participants may have hypertension, diabetes, or multiple comorbidities, provided they fall within the 1 to 7 range on the Clinical Frailty Scale (ranging from robust to mildly frail).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 80
• Phase: Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Brazil
  • Estado de Bahia
    • Salvador, Estado de Bahia, Brazil, 40170115
      • Faculdade de Educação

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion criteria: Community-dwelling older adults (60 years of age or older), and able to travel to the training center.

Exclusion criteria: Score 7, 8 or 9 on the Clinical Frailty Scale and those with any impediment to performing physical exercise.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Multicomponent training intervention; Multicomponent training intervention - Protocol includes mobility, resistance exercises for the lower and upper limbs and major muscle groups, and aerobic exercises. The intervention will take place twice a week for one hour, following a 12-week protocol.

Other: Multicomponent training intervention Multicomponent training intervention - Protocol includes mobility, resistance exercises for the lower and upper limbs and major muscle groups, and aerobic exercise; The interventions will take place twice a week, on two days (Mondays and Wednesdays) with two groups lasting one hour each. The exercises will include joint mobility training, followed by strength training with body weight and the use of elastic bands, dumbbells, sticks, and the like. Subsequently, there will be an aerobic part, lasting 30 minutes, in which the heart rate will be increased, with the use of sound and rhythms. Following this, there will be a cool-down, with a reduction in activities. Participants will be evaluated before and after the intervention, after 12 weeks, with variables that include intrinsic capacity such as mobility, psychological state, vitality, sensory and cognitive domain.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Intrinsic capacity	Cognition: Montreal Cognitive Assessment - MOCA	Sample collected before the intervention. Subsequently, another sample was collected 12 weeks after the intervention.
Intrinsic capacity	Mobility: 5-times sit-to-stand test and 6-minutr walk test	Sample collected before the intervention. Subsequently, another sample was collected 12 weeks after the intervention.
Intrinsic capacity	Psychological:15 itens - Geriatric Depression Scale -GDS-15	Sample collected before the intervention. Subsequently, another sample was collected 12 weeks after the intervention.
Intrinsic capacity	Vitality: Handgrip strength	Sample collected before the intervention. Subsequently, another sample was collected 12 weeks after the intervention.
Intrinsic capacity:	Hearing: Self-reported - Self-reported - Participants are asked if they have any hearing problems.	Sample collected before the intervention. Subsequently, another sample was collected 12 weeks after the intervention.
Intrinsic capacity	Vision: self-reported - Participants are asked if they have any vision problems, if they have difficulty seeing up close or far away, if they have any eye disease, or if they are undergoing medical treatment for diabetes or hypertension.	Sample collected before the intervention. Subsequently, another sample was collected 12 weeks after the intervention.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Anthropometry	BMI: Weight and height will be used to calculate Body Mass Index.	Sample collected before the intervention. Subsequently, another sample was collected 12 weeks after the intervention.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Federal University of the Valleys of Jequitinhonha and Mucuri
• Collaborators: Federal University of Bahia

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Related Info

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 20, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 20, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 20, 2028

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 26, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 11, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): August 17, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 17, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 11, 2026
• Last Verified: August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Aging; Physical capacity; Gymnastics; Intrinsic Capacity; Olther adults; physical activity.
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Motor Activity; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Exercise
• Other Study ID Numbers: Multicomponent Training

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Due to participant confidentiality, the data may be shared, but participant identification will not be disclosed.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No