Does Exercise Snacking Improve Muscle Function in Older Adults?

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Muscle Function
• Interventions: Behavioral: Exercise Snacking; Dietary Supplement: Yogurt

• Registration Number: NCT02991989
• Lead Sponsor: University of Bath

Brief Summary

Muscle size declines at around 0.5-1% per year after 50 years of age, with muscle strength declining up to twice as fast as muscle size. This may eventually lead to loss of independence if tasks of daily living become too strenuous to be performed safely. Exercise is recognized as a safe and effective means to counteract muscle loss during aging, however access to gym equipment may be logistically challenging or unpalatable to older adults. This research is designed to investigate the effect of 28 days of home-based leg exercise that doesn't require exercise equipment or supervision (exercise snacking), accompanied with a daily protein supplement in the form of commercially available yogurt, on the skeletal muscle health (i.e. function and size) of independent, community-dwelling older adults. To achieve this, two groups will be compared; one group will undertake exercise snacking and consume a 150 g yogurt with the breakfast meal for four weeks, with the second group only receiving the daily yogurt with no exercise snacking.

Detailed Description

The study will require potential participants to undergo an eligibility screening with a member of the research team, followed by a period of seven days of habitual activity monitoring and 3 days of diet recording. Eligible participants will be allocated into study groups by way of minimization based on sex, age, BMI, and number of sit-to-stands performed in a minute. Participants will undertake two familiarisation sessions with strength, power, neural drive, and balance tests at least seven days apart, the first following eligibility screening and the second familiarisation session at least five days before the first main trial.

Thereafter, both groups will undertake a main trial the day before commencing 28 days of daily 150 g yoghurt supplement with the breakfast meal, with the exercise snacking group (ES) also undertaking two bouts of exercise snacking a day. The main trial will include measures of leg muscle function and neural drive, standing and single leg balance, and movement co-ordination during tasks of everyday ambulation. Participants will wear a physical activity monitor and pedometer for the seven days and record diet for three days during the last week of the intervention. The day after the intervention period, a follow-up main trial will be conducted as per the first main trial, followed by an optional qualitative interview regarding participant's experience of the trial.

Basic Information
|
Recruitment & Eligibility
|
Study & Design
|
Trial Locations

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-11-20
• Study First Submitted: 2016-12-06
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-12-09
• Study First Posted: 2016-12-14
• Primary Completion: 2017-06-01
• Study Completion: 2017-07
• Status Verified: 2018-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2018-05-21
• Last Update Posted: 2018-05-23

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 20

Inclusion Criteria

• Not underweight or obese (body mass index ≥20 and ≤ 30 kg/m2)
• Not regularly engaging in recreational sports or structured exercise (once a week or more).
• Non-smoker (for >5 years)
• Healthy (see exclusion criteria)

Read More

Exclusion Criteria

• Any chronic illness, cardiac, pulmonary, liver, or kidney abnormalities, uncontrolled hypertension, peripheral arterial disease, insulin- or non-insulin dependent diabetes or other metabolic disorders - all ascertained through preliminary screening.
• Individuals with a history of bone, joint or neuromuscular problems or a current musculoskeletal injury ascertained through preliminary screening.
• Individuals with any joint replacement surgical implants or other artifacts containing metal.
• Individuals with a clinically diagnosed allergy or intolerance of dairy products.
• Individuals with contraindications to exercise including chest pain, dizziness, or loss of consciousness, or who have been instructed by their doctor to only do physical activity recommended by them.
• Individuals who score less than 8 on the Short Physical Performance Battery or score zero on any component of the test.

Read More

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Exercise Snacking Group	Yogurt	For 28 days, this group will be asked to perform two 'exercise snacks' a day; once in the morning and once in the evening. They will also be asked to consume 150 g of yogurt with the breakfast meal. The yogurt will be provided by the researchers.
Exercise Snacking Group	Exercise Snacking	For 28 days, this group will be asked to perform two 'exercise snacks' a day; once in the morning and once in the evening. They will also be asked to consume 150 g of yogurt with the breakfast meal. The yogurt will be provided by the researchers.
Yogurt Only Group	Yogurt	For 28 days, this group will be asked to consume 150 g of yogurt with the breakfast meal. The yogurt will be provided by the researchers. Apart from consuming the yogurt, this group will be asked to continue their normal lifestyle.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
60 second sit to stand test	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	The participant is asked to stand up from sitting in a chair whilst keeping their arms folded across their chest, then return to the seated position as many times as possible in a minute.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Lower limb muscle cross-sectional tissue density	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	Measured using peripheral quantitative computed tomography at 66% distal calf length and 25% and 50% distal thigh length
Gastrocnemius and quadriceps muscle fibre length	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	Measured using ultrasonography at 66% distal length of calf length and 50% distal thigh length
Single leg balance	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	Measured using the Y-balance test
Central drive of the plantar flexors	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	Measured through the interpolated twitch technique
Gastrocnemius and quadriceps muscle fibre pennation angle	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	Measured using ultrasonography at 66% distal length of calf length and 50% distal thigh length
Lower limb movement outcome variability	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	Measured during leg pressing
Body composition	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	Measured using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry
Postural sway during standing balance with eyes open and closed	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	Measured using a force plate
Six minute walk test	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	The participant will be asked to walk as many times between two cones places 15 meters apart as possible in six minutes.
Lower limb muscle power	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	Measured during leg pressing
Lower limb muscle cross-sectional area	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	Measured using peripheral quantitative computed tomography at 66% distal calf length and 25% and 50% distal thigh length
Movement co-ordination during walking and sit to stands	28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period	Measured by Qualisys motion capture and force plates

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Bath; 🇬🇧 Bath, Avon, United Kingdom