Exploring the efficacy of novel environmental stimuli to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle health in older adults

Abstract

The UK population is increasing, and people are living longer than ever before, which has implications for the whole of society. Increasing rates of comorbidity and ill-health associated with age is, and will continue to have, significant socioeconomic consequences when considering the treatment of chronic disease and comorbidity, and their implications for hospitalisation and social care for the older adult. The benefits of regular exercise for older adults have been extensively studied and are known to protect against and even reverse the effects of comorbidity. However, rates of exercise uptake amongst older but also younger adults are poor, with a worrying shift to more sedentary lifestyles in an increasingly technological age. The ageing population has also resulted in a generation of comorbid older adults for whom exercise is not possible and as such are prone to muscle wasting. In addition, low cardiorespiratory fitness, which results from prolonged inactivity, is also a risk factor for many cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases, and even premature mortality. Higher-intensity exercise interventions with reduced time commitment have been shown to dramatically improve cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic health in a short timeframe and as such may be more effective in maintaining adherence to regular exercise. However, the health benefits of such regimens have not been extensively studied outside of a supervised, laboratory environment or without utilising expensive gym equipment. This thesis will explore the efficacy of a home-based, high intensity exercise regimen for improving indices of cardiorespiratory fitness in older and younger adults. It shall also explore the effects of supervision on achieving these improvements. Finally, for those who cannot exercise due to older age or co-morbidity, the effects of plant-based treatments on improving blood flow to increase muscle nutrient and oxygen delivery will also be explored