Effects of a combined physical activity program on physical fitness in adults over 40
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v76.117978Keywords:
Physical activity , older adults, active aging, functional capacity, exercise prescriptionAbstract
Introduction: population aging is a global public health challenge, particularly in rural areas with limited access to services. from the age of 40, functional decline accelerates, with physical inactivity being a key risk factor.
Objective: to evaluate the effects of the "actívate +40" program, a 9-month multicomponent exercise intervention, on physical fitness, body composition, and quality of life in adults aged 40 to 75 from a rural setting.
Methodology: a quasi-experimental pre-post study was conducted with 55 sedentary adults. the intervention consisted of 108 supervised sessions. functional capacity (senior fitness test), body composition (body mass index, waist circumference), and quality of life (sf-36 questionnaire) were assessed before and after the intervention.
Results: statistically significant improvements (p<0.05) were observed in all functional capacity variables, with large effect sizes for lower limb strength (d=1.15), upper limb strength (d=1.06), aerobic endurance (d=0.89), and agility and dynamic balance (d=1.26). body mass index and waist circumference were significantly reduced. all quality of life dimensions showed improvements. mean adherence was 85.2%.
Discussion: The results suggest that the 'Actívate +40' program is associated with significant improvements in physical fitness, body composition, and quality of life in middle-aged and older adults, supporting its potential as a viable model for promoting active aging in rural areas.
Conclusions: the "actívate +40" program was effective in improving physical fitness, body composition, and quality of life in middle-aged and older adults, representing a viable model for promoting active aging in rural areas.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Luis García-Rico, Rubén Delgado Moya, Mónica Tovar Sánchez, Héctor Rua Jiménez
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