“I don’t do anything”: It’s time to place more emphasis on strength training in later life

Since 2011, the UK Chief Medical Officers’ (CMOs) guidelines on physical activity have included strength recommendations. However, there is limited evidence that these recommendations are getting through to those who need them.

In this Policy@Mancester blog, Dr Ashley Gluchowski, from our NIHR ARC-GM Healthy Ageing team, outlines how older adults are engaging with the guidelines, and whether more can be done by public health officials and local authorities to remove barriers to activity.

• Less than half of 50 – 74-year-olds in England are meeting the strength recommendations.
• There is a lack of detail and options in the CMOs’ guidance around what constitutes strength training, and how intensely it should occur
• Older adults also report a lack of ability-appropriate classes, as well as a lack of strength training encouragement from healthcare professionals

One in three older adults in the UK are classed as inactive, while one in six deaths are linked to physical inactivity. As our population ages – with 25% expected to be over 65 by 2050 – the impact of inactivity on older people’s health, social and mental wellbeing, and quality of life will increase, as will the burden placed on healthcare systems...

You can access the full blog from the Policy@Manchester site here.

You can read more about this research from the "Exploring the evidence-based underpinning of strength prescription for people aged 65 years and older in the UK" webpage

published 28th November 2022