Current Concepts in Healthy Aging and Physical Activity: A Viewpoint

Abstract

Physical activity plays an important role for achieving healthy aging by promoting independence and increasing the quality of life. However, current guidelines for physical activity in older adults may be difficult to achieve in an older population. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that increasing exercise intensity in older adults may be associated with greater reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Therefore, the idea prescribing high-intensity exercise protocols such as high-intensity interval training and high-intensity resistance training becomes an intriguing strategy for healthy aging. Collectively, the literature review in this viewpoint will briefly focus on summarizing alternative/novel time-efficient approaches in physical activity toward healthy aging. Our goal is to hopefully open a discussion on possibly revising the current physical activity guidelines in older adults.