Reducing just 250 calories per day andmoderate training brought benefitsfor heart health in new study. In older adults with obesity, the combination of aerobic exercise and reduced daily calorie intake resulted in improvements in aortic stiffness. This is a measure of vascular health that relates to cardiovascular disease. The approach has produced more positive results compared to standard training methods and restrictive diets.
Less is more when you are overweight in old age
Modifiable lifestyle factors such as a healthy diet and regular physical activity can help offset age-related increases in aortic stiffness. Although aerobic exercise generally has positive effects on aortic structure and function, previous studies have shown that exercise alone may not be sufficient to reduce aortic stiffness in older adultsImprove obesity. Therefore, the study authors wanted to find out whether additional calorie restriction for weight loss would lead to better heart health alone. The results showed that a weight loss of almost 10% of total body weight, or about 9 kg, over the five-month study period was associated with a significant improvement in aortic stiffness. However, this only applied to participants who were in the exercise plus moderate calorie restriction group.
Lifestyle changes such as increased aerobic activity and reduced daily calorie intake can improve overall vascular health, according to the study authors. However, they were surprised that the group that reduced their calorie intake the most showed no improvement in aortic stiffness. This happened even though the subjects had a similar decrease in body weight and blood pressure as the moderate calorie restriction participants. The study results also suggest that combining exercise with moderate calorie restriction simultaneously optimizes body composition and body fat distribution. The findingsthis studystate that higher intensity calorie restriction may not always be necessary for weight loss. This could significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in older adults with obesity.
