Effects of a Community-based Physical Activity Program on Cognitive and Physical Function in Older Adults

Abstract Overview

Background: Aging is an inevitable process associated with a variety of physical and cognitive declines. Francophone older adults living in communities in New Brunswick (Canada) are severely affected by these declines. The practice of physical activity (PA) could potentially attenuate these age-related declines of Francophones from linguistic-minority communities.

Purpose: The purpose was to evaluate the effect of a community-based PA program on physical and cognitive function of Francophone older adults in New Brunswick.

Methods: Forty-two healthy, Francophone, community-dwelling older adults (mean age: 71,3 ± 6,3, 38 women) consented to participate in a 10-week community-based PA program (at least 150 minutes of moderate-vigorous PA per week) study. A series of physical and cognitive tests were administered pre and post intervention. We measured participant’s physical (Senior Fitness Test) and cognitive (computerized Stroop task (naming, inhibition, cognitive flexibility) and Trail Making Test (TMT) (part A and B)) performance.

Results: Results for the Stroop task showed a significant improvement in reaction time for the naming condition (p < 0.001) and in the response accuracy for the cognitive flexibility condition (most demanding cognitively) (p = 0.006). Part B of TMT (cognitive flexibility) also improved significantly after intervention (p = 0.019). For physical performance, older adults significantly improved their walking speed, cardiorespiratory capacity, and lower limb strength (all three, p < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between the physical and cognitive improvements.

Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that a 10-week community-based PA program can be associated with improvements in cognitive and physical functions of Francophone older adults from linguistic-minority communities.

Practical implications: Community-based PA interventions appear to be an effective strategy for mitigating the age-related to physical and cognitive declines of older adults from communities where the burden of aging is amplified.

Additional Authors

Name: Pierre Faivre

Affiliation: Département de Médecine de Famille, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada ET IMPACTS Lab. Centre de Formation Médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick, Université de Sherbrooke, Moncton, Canada

Presenting Author: yes

Name: Isadora Quirion

Affiliation: Background: Aging is an inevitable process associated with a variety of physical and cognitive declines. Francophone older adults living in communities in New Brunswick (Canada) are severely affected by these declines. The practice of physical activity (PA) could potentially attenuate these age-related declines of Francophones from linguistic-minority communities. Purpose: The purpose was to evaluate the effect of a community-based PA program on physical and cognitive function of Francophone older adults in New Brunswick. Methods: Forty-two healthy, Francophone, community-dwelling older adults (mean age: 71,3 ± 6,3, 38 women) consented to participate in a 10-week community-based PA program (at least 150 minutes of moderate-vigorous PA per week) study. A series of physical and cognitive tests were administered pre and post intervention. We measured participant’s physical (Senior Fitness Test) and cognitive (computerized Stroop task (naming, inhibition, cognitive flexibility) and Trail Making Test (TMT) (part A and B)) performance. Results: Results for the Stroop task showed a significant improvement in reaction time for the naming condition (p < 0.001) and in the response accuracy for the cognitive flexibility condition (most demanding cognitively) (p = 0.006). Part B of TMT (cognitive flexibility) also improved significantly after intervention (p = 0.019). For physical performance, older adults significantly improved their walking speed, cardiorespiratory capacity, and lower limb strength (all three, p < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between the physical and cognitive improvements. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that a 10-week community-based PA program can be associated with improvements in cognitive and physical functions of Francophone older adults from linguistic-minority communities. Practical implications: Community-based PA interventions appear to be an effective strategy for mitigating the age-related to physical and cognitive declines of older adults from communities where the burden of aging is amplified.

Presenting Author: no

Name: Shirko Ahmadi

Presenting Author: no

Name: Mathieu Bélanger

Presenting Author: no

Name: Myles O’Brien

Presenting Author: no

Name: Olivier Dupuy

Affiliation: Laboratoire MOVE (EA 6314), Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France

Presenting Author: no

Name: Said Mekari

Presenting Author: yes