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Weight loss, exercise, or both and physical function in obese older adults.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Villareal, DT; Chode, S; Parimi, N; Sinacore, DR; Hilton, T; Armamento-Villareal, R; Napoli, N; Qualls, C; Shah, K
Published in: N Engl J Med
March 31, 2011

BACKGROUND: Obesity exacerbates the age-related decline in physical function and causes frailty in older adults; however, the appropriate treatment for obese older adults is controversial. METHODS: In this 1-year, randomized, controlled trial, we evaluated the independent and combined effects of weight loss and exercise in 107 adults who were 65 years of age or older and obese. Participants were randomly assigned to a control group, a weight-management (diet) group, an exercise group, or a weight-management-plus-exercise (diet-exercise) group. The primary outcome was the change in score on the modified Physical Performance Test. Secondary outcomes included other measures of frailty, body composition, bone mineral density, specific physical functions, and quality of life. RESULTS: A total of 93 participants (87%) completed the study. In the intention-to-treat analysis, the score on the Physical Performance Test, in which higher scores indicate better physical status, increased more in the diet-exercise group than in the diet group or the exercise group (increases from baseline of 21% vs. 12% and 15%, respectively); the scores in all three of those groups increased more than the scores in the control group (in which the score increased by 1%) (P<0.001 for the between-group differences). Moreover, the peak oxygen consumption improved more in the diet-exercise group than in the diet group or the exercise group (increases of 17% vs. 10% and 8%, respectively; P<0.001); the score on the Functional Status Questionnaire, in which higher scores indicate better physical function, increased more in the diet-exercise group than in the diet group (increase of 10% vs. 4%, P<0.001). Body weight decreased by 10% in the diet group and by 9% in the diet-exercise group, but did not decrease in the exercise group or the control group (P<0.001). Lean body mass and bone mineral density at the hip decreased less in the diet-exercise group than in the diet group (reductions of 3% and 1%, respectively, in the diet-exercise group vs. reductions of 5% and 3%, respectively, in the diet group; P<0.05 for both comparisons). Strength, balance, and gait improved consistently in the diet-exercise group (P<0.05 for all comparisons). Adverse events included a small number of exercise-associated musculoskeletal injuries. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a combination of weight loss and exercise provides greater improvement in physical function than either intervention alone. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00146107.).

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Published In

N Engl J Med

DOI

EISSN

1533-4406

Publication Date

March 31, 2011

Volume

364

Issue

13

Start / End Page

1218 / 1229

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Weight Loss
  • Quality of Life
  • Obesity
  • Male
  • Intention to Treat Analysis
  • Humans
  • General & Internal Medicine
  • Frail Elderly
  • Female
  • Exercise Test
 

Citation

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Villareal, D. T., Chode, S., Parimi, N., Sinacore, D. R., Hilton, T., Armamento-Villareal, R., … Shah, K. (2011). Weight loss, exercise, or both and physical function in obese older adults. N Engl J Med, 364(13), 1218–1229. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1008234
Villareal, Dennis T., Suresh Chode, Nehu Parimi, David R. Sinacore, Tiffany Hilton, Reina Armamento-Villareal, Nicola Napoli, Clifford Qualls, and Krupa Shah. “Weight loss, exercise, or both and physical function in obese older adults.N Engl J Med 364, no. 13 (March 31, 2011): 1218–29. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1008234.
Villareal DT, Chode S, Parimi N, Sinacore DR, Hilton T, Armamento-Villareal R, et al. Weight loss, exercise, or both and physical function in obese older adults. N Engl J Med. 2011 Mar 31;364(13):1218–29.
Villareal, Dennis T., et al. “Weight loss, exercise, or both and physical function in obese older adults.N Engl J Med, vol. 364, no. 13, Mar. 2011, pp. 1218–29. Pubmed, doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1008234.
Villareal DT, Chode S, Parimi N, Sinacore DR, Hilton T, Armamento-Villareal R, Napoli N, Qualls C, Shah K. Weight loss, exercise, or both and physical function in obese older adults. N Engl J Med. 2011 Mar 31;364(13):1218–1229.

Published In

N Engl J Med

DOI

EISSN

1533-4406

Publication Date

March 31, 2011

Volume

364

Issue

13

Start / End Page

1218 / 1229

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Weight Loss
  • Quality of Life
  • Obesity
  • Male
  • Intention to Treat Analysis
  • Humans
  • General & Internal Medicine
  • Frail Elderly
  • Female
  • Exercise Test