Exercise Helps Older Adults With Sarcopenic Obesity, but Evidence Quality Is Mixed
This review suggests resistance or combined training may benefit older adults dealing with muscle loss and excess fat.
Pooling 20 trials of older adults with sarcopenic obesity (low muscle plus excess fat), exercise reduced body fat, BMI, and LDL cholesterol while boosting muscle mass, grip strength, and walking speed. Resistance training stood out for building muscle and strength. Combined training (resistance plus cardio) improved the broadest range of outcomes. However, the authors caution that evidence quality was only moderate for body composition and low for metabolic benefits.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.
Related Studies
All researchHow Exercise Quiets a Muscle-Wasting Inflammation Signal in Older Women
Scientists found a specific inflammation signal called CXCL2 that climbs as muscle loss gets worse with age.
Why Your Fitness Level Predicts How Long You'll Live Better Than Step Counts
This review of the evidence says being physically active and, even more so, being fit is strongly tied to living longer.
Mixing Cardio and Weights Helps Blood Sugar, But Not More Than One Alone
Combining cardio with strength training lowered blood sugar markers in middle-aged and older adults.