Effect of structured physical activity on prevention of major mobility disability in older adults: the LIFE study randomized clinical trial
Marco Pahor et al.; LIFE Study Investigators
JAMA · 2014
What the research tells us
Structured activity reduced major mobility disability relative to health education: HR 0.82 (95% CI 0.69–0.98). This is evidence about maintaining walking ability in older adults with limitations, not a direct whole-body reserve measurement.
Scope & interpretation
Selected volunteers and a supported programme limit generalisation. Serious adverse events occurred in 49.4% versus 45.7% (RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.98–1.20); nonsignificance does not prove equal safety.
Study at a glance
- POPULATION & SAMPLE
- 1,635 sedentary adults aged 70–89, with functional limitations but initially able to walk 400 m.
- EXPOSURE / INTERVENTION / SUBJECT
- Moderate activity including walking, resistance and flexibility, versus health education and upper-limb stretching.
- OUTCOMES
- Loss of ability to walk 400 m; persistent disability and adverse events.
- TIME FRAME
- Mean 2.6 years.
Cited on this site
Editorial & review record
Record for v1.0 · Updated
Editorial responsibility: TAP Editorial Team
Editorial note
Under the editorial responsibility of the TAP Editorial Team, this publication used AI assistance for content organization and editing.
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How responsibilities and review are recorded ↗Scope of this reading note
Original published PDF: eligibility, intervention, primary results, adverse-event table and declarations. Supplements and participant-level data were not reanalysed.
- Study funding
- NIH/NIA UO1AG22376 (as printed), NHLBI 3U01AG022376-05A2S and intramural support; Pepper Centers 1P30AG028740, 1P30AG21332, 1P30AG031679, P30AG024827, P30AG021342; CTSA UL1RR025744, U54RR025208, UL1TR000142; 1R24HD065688-01A1; K07AG3587 (as printed); VA career-development support; USDA 58-1950-0-014. NIH held one of 12 steering-committee votes.
- Competing interests
- Blair: BodyMedia, Coca-Cola and Technogym grants. Fielding: grants, consulting or board relationships involving Dairy Research Institute/Dairy Management, Department of Defense, Nestle, Regeneron, Unilever, Eli Lilly, Essentient, Merck, Aging in Motion, Ammonett, Cytokinetics, Myosyntax and Segterra. McDermott: Informed Medical Decisions Foundation editorship. Sink: Alzheimer’s Association and Donald W. Reynolds Foundation funding and a medical-food trial investigator role. No other disclosures were reported.
Project support
Founded and supported by Resilio.
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