PRESCRIBED EXERCISE IN THE ELDERLY - THE IMPACT ON ENERGY-EXPENDITUREFOR SELECTED ACTIVITIES

The purpose of this study was to report on the average daily energy ex penditure on selected daily activties by elderly persons and to determ ine whether a non-supervised exercise program influences the amount of energy expended on these activities. A total of 164 non-institutional ised volunteers with a mean age of 68+/-4.6 years of age maintained a diary of daily activities (household, gardening maintenance, sport, mi scellaneous) for a period of twelve months. Subjects were randomly ass igned to either a prescribed or non-prescribed exercise program. The r eliability of the resulting data was established as being between 0.87 and 0.97. There were significant differences between the exercisers a nd non-exercisers on energy expended, with the former group having hig her mean scores on all activities. Associated with the already documen ted increase in fitness associated with prescribed regular exercise, w e conclude that such exercise has a significant influence on the amoun t of energy that elderly persons used on common daily activities.