High Intensity Training vs. Moderate Intensity Training for Older Adults

Exercise Recommendations for Older Adults

The World Health Organization (WHO) advises adults aged 65 and older to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week. Such exercise is essential for enhancing heart and brain health, while also reducing the risk of mortality associated with heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. Additionally, it improves stability and lowers the likelihood of falls, a significant concern as individuals age.

Research Overview

With a variety of exercise options available, selecting an appropriate program can be challenging. A recent study conducted by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology aimed to determine whether high intensity training offers greater benefits for older adults compared to moderate exercise. Over a five-year period, the study followed 1,567 participants with an average age of 72.8 years, who were randomly divided into three exercise training groups: high intensity interval training (HIIT), moderate intensity continuous training (MICT), or adherence to national physical activity recommendations.

Study Design and Groups

The high intensity training group comprised 400 participants who adhered to national recommendations three times a week and completed two HIIT sessions weekly. Each HIIT session began with a 10-minute warm-up, followed by four four-minute workouts targeting a heart rate of 90% of peak.

In contrast, the moderate intensity training group included 387 participants, who also followed national guidelines three days a week and engaged in two medium intensity workouts per week. After a 10-minute warm-up, these participants exercised for 50 minutes, maintaining a heart rate of approximately 70% of peak.

The remaining 780 participants followed the 2012 Norwegian physical activity guidelines, which recommended 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily.

Monitoring and Assessments

All participants in the HIIT and moderate intensity groups met with exercise physiologists every six weeks for a spin class to ensure they achieved the targeted heart rate intensities. Additionally, they had the option to receive further exercise training if desired.

To assess adherence to the program requirements, participants completed questionnaires at one, three, and five years into the study. At the conclusion of the study, doctors measured the peak oxygen uptake of participants, an important indicator of cardiovascular health. Mortality rates for each group were also calculated.

Study Findings

The researchers found that while there were reductions in absolute risk for all-cause mortality across all groups, these were not statistically significant. The study concluded that “compared with the Norwegian recommended guidelines for physical activity, supervised exercise (HIIT and MICT combined) showed no effect on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease events, or cancer events in older adults.”

However, the study indicated a potential reduction in the risk of premature death for participants engaged in high intensity training compared to those adhering to the recommended guidelines and moderate intensity training. The authors noted greater benefits for those participating in high intensity exercise and suggested that physical activity guidelines should incorporate some high intensity activities for older adults.

References

1. WHO | Physical Activity and Older Adults. Who.int. https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_olderadults/en/. Published 2020. Accessed October 13, 2020.
2. Stensvold D, Viken H, Steinshamn S et al. Effect of exercise training for five years on all-cause mortality in older adults—the Generation 100 study: randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2020:m3485. doi:10.1136/bmj.m3485