Step-reduction in Older Men and Women

McMaster University22 enrolled

Overview

This study investigates the effects of two weeks of reduced daily ambulation and a subsequent return to normal physical activity on metabolic health of older adults.

Aging results in a progressive loss of muscle mass that is accelerated by periods of muscular disuse, common for older adults during hospitalization or convalescence from illness. Transient physical inactivity has been shown to cause muscular atrophy and impairments in insulin sensitivity in both younger and older adults. However, the recovery capacity of older adults after such physical inactivity remains unknown. This study aims to determine the impact of two weeks of daily step reduction to ≤1000 steps per day, an experimental model mimicking short-term physical inactivity, on glycemic control in older adults and further investigate whether older adults are able to recover from the consequences of this inactivity simply by returning to their habitual activity for 14 days.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Older Adults Reduced Physical Activity

Interventions

Normal Daily StepsBEHAVIORAL

Complete normal daily ambulation for one week

Step-ReductionBEHAVIORAL

Reduce daily ambulation to fewer than 1000 steps per day for two weeks

Return to Normal Daily StepsBEHAVIORAL

Increase daily ambulation to 100% of normal daily step-count for two weeks

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 65 YearsMax age: 80 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Non-smoker Exclusion Criteria: * Use of assistive walking devices * Chronic use of analgesic or anti-inflammatory drugs * History of neuromuscular problems or muscle and/or bone wasting disease * Acute or chronic illness including cardiac, pulmonary, liver or kidney abnormalities, uncontrolled hypertension, insulin or non-insulin dependent diabetes or other metabolic disorders * Daily use of statins, particularly simvastatin and atorvastatin * Use of medications known to affect protein metabolism * Normally complete fewer than 3000 steps per day

Locations (1)

Exercise Metabolism Research Laboratory, McMaster Univeristy

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Insulin Sensitivity

Assessed via Matsuda ISI

Time frame: Measured at the end of each behavioural intervention (Week 1, Week 3, Week 5)

Secondary Outcomes

Change in lean tissue mass

Assessed via Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry

Time frame: Measured at the end of each behavioural intervention (Week 1, Week 3, Week 5)

Change in Peak Isometric Maximal Voluntary Leg Extension Strength

Assessed via muscle dynamometry

Time frame: Measured at the end of each behavioural intervention (Week 1, Week 3, Week 5)

Change in Muscle Protein Synthesis

Obtained via vastus lateralis muscle biopsy

Time frame: Measured at the end of each behavioural intervention (Week 1, Week 3, Week 5)

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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