Seniors represent the population where sedentary is the highest.
To evaluate of the exact health benefits of regular aerobic training (AT) in seniors aged 70 years or older.
Systematic review in CINAHL Plus, Embase, Medline, PubMed Central, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Sport Discus and Web of Science with a keyword search.
Two independent readers have selected randomized controlled and quasi-controlled studies and observational cohort studies published in English.
Of 3515 articles identified, 87 studies were included in the systematic review and categorized according to the analysed outcomes. The benefits of AT are clearly demonstrated on total mortality, coronary and neurovascular disease, glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes, blood lipid profile, body composition, blood pressure, cardiorespiratory performances, muscle strength and functional capacity, and quality of life among senior aged 70 years or more. More recently, it has shown benefits for primary and tertiary prevention of cancer and primary and secondary prevention of cognitive decline. The benefits on bone health and the risk of falling are yet to confirm.
The data of benefits result from studies published in English only.
The AT is an important determinant of health and quality of life in seniors. Its promotion in this population should be part of the continuity of efforts undertaken among younger population. Thus, seniors should be more actively encouraged to engage in training programs.