A recent study published in Experimental Gerontology investigated whether consuming coffee affects balance and physical function in older adults. Drinking a strong cup of coffee had minimal effects on...

Background: Remote health care delivery, including the use of digital health interventions, is emerging as a tool for assessing and managing physical function, but its design and implementation often overlook the needs and preferences of older adult end users. Objective: The primary aim of this modified Delphi process was to develop consumer consensus on preferences for remote assessment and management of physical function in older adults. Methods: Research and consumer experts of the Remote Assessment and Management of Physical Function in Older Adults (RAMP) Working Group co-developed the Round 1 Delphi survey, which was advertised to consumers (adults aged ≥60 years) via international clinical and research networks and social media between August and November 2023. The online survey presented 23 Delphi statements for which respondents reported their level of agreement using an 11-point Likert scale (0-10; scores ≥7 indicated agreement). Statements were classified as having “strong agreement” and achieving consensus if ≥80% of participants indicated agreement. Statements classified as having “moderate” (70%-80% of participants indicated agreement) or “low” (

Background: Age-related declines in metabolic, cardiovascular, and physical function contribute to reduced quality of life in older adults. Although structured exercise is central to healthy aging, the optimal modality remains unclear. Community-based exercise programs in China are heterogeneous, and their comparative effects on health outcomes and cardiovascular safety have not been systematically evaluated. Objective: We aimed to compare the effects of 4 common community-based exercise modalities on cardiometabolic health, physical function, and quality of life in middle-aged and older adults, and to assess their relative efficacy and safety across intervention exposure. Methods: This single-blind randomized controlled trial included 113 middle-aged and older adults (mean age 62.3, SD 4.25 years). Participants were assigned to one of the 5 groups: 12-form Chen-style Tai Chi (CTC12), 24-form Tai Chi, square dance, walking, or a control group. The 12-week intervention comprised 2 supervised sessions per week, each lasting 90 minutes. Pre- and postintervention assessments included blood pressure, lipid profiles, fasting glucose, interleukin-6 levels, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) scores, activities of daily living, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) index. Results: The CTC12 and square dance groups showed significant improvements in several outcomes. In the CTC12 group, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels significantly decreased (P=.008 and P=.002, respectively), whereas SPPB and WHOQOL scores significantly improved (P=.02 and P=.002, respectively). In the square dance group, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels significantly decreased (P=.01, P=.002, and P=.002, respectively), whereas SPPB, activities of daily living, and WHOQOL scores significantly improved (P=.04, P=.04, and P=.002, respectively). The walking group showed a significant improvement only in WHOQOL scores (P=.02). No significant changes were observed in the control group for any outcome. Conclusions: CTC12 and square dance were associated with significant improvements in cardiometabolic, physical, and psychological health outcomes in middle-aged and older adults. CTC12 demonstrated broader multidimensional benefits, potentially reflecting the integration of physical, respiratory, and cognitive components. These modalities may represent safe and scalable strategies for promoting healthy aging in community settings. Clinical Trial: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2400092473; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojEN.html?proj=249330

Background: Knowledge about how older adults walk is crucial for effective prevention and treatment of various mobility issues, as well as treatment evaluation, but is to date largely limited to lab-based measurements. Although this provides relevant information about what older adults can do under standardized conditions, it does not give insight into how they actually walk in their daily life, a gap that needs to be addressed urgently. Objective: The objective of the current study is to describe how older adults walk in daily life in relation to age, sex, and level of physical function, using wearable sensor data from a large sample of older adults with a wide range of age and function from the HUNT4 Trondheim 70+ study. Methods: The current study is based on one-week accelerometer data (Axivity AX3) from 1289 older adults (mean age 77.41 (SD 6.06) years, range 70-105 years; 54.7% women). Physical function was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). To investigate the effect of age and SPPB score on gait metrics (daily number of steps, 95th percentile speed, mode speed, 95th percentile cadence, mode cadence, and maximum WB distance) for women and men, univariate gamma regressions with log link were performed on each outcome measure, with age and SPPB score in separate models. Sex differences were investigated through Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: Older adults showed large variation in how and how much they walked in daily life across age, sex, and physical function, particularly younger participants and those with better physical function. Most gait metrics decreased at an increasing rate with higher age, with men maintaining their levels up to higher ages than women. Poorer physical function led to an exponential or close-to-linear decrease in all gait metrics apart from habitual cadence, which remained stable up to high age. Women had a lower daily number of steps, gait speed, and maximum distance, yet higher cadence, than men (all Ps

Study indicates that older women with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of fractures primarily due to impaired physical function rather than reduced bone density, despite stronger bone structure.