NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Elderly people who start a regular exercise program may feel so good about their progress that they stick to the program over time, new study findings suggest.

Improved physical fitness, weight loss, more energy and healthier eating habits that came about through regular exercise were among the benefits that motivated a group of older adults to continue their efforts, according to a report in a supplement to the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The study findings indicate that programs targeting older adults should emphasize these and other benefits through regular feedback and support. While physical activity can lower the risk of chronic disease and improve quality of life, many people, especially older adults, remain inactive.

"It is not enough to just get someone to enroll in an exercise program," Dr. Glenn S. Brassington from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, the study's lead author, told Reuters Health. "Effective exercise programs should contain a behavioral change or motivational component that will help older adults overcome barriers to exercise and realize fitness-related benefits of participation."

The study included 103 healthy and physically inactive people at least 65 years old, who were assigned to an exercise program to increase their cardiovascular fitness or their flexibility. All exercised four times a week--twice at home and twice in classes.

Over the next year, trained health educators conducted telephone counseling sessions with the study volunteers to answer questions, provide support and encouragement, and gauge their confidence and commitment over time. These phone calls, Brassington said, helped study participants make the connection between physical and psychological improvements and their exercise program.

Indeed, a better mood, improved sleep and greater energy were just some of the benefits that kept the elderly exercisers on track. Adults' confidence before they started the exercise program was not associated with their commitment to the program over time, the researchers found.

"It is possible that perceiving benefits in fitness outcomes, such as appearance and weight, communicates to participants that they have been successful in their exercise program," conclude Brassington and colleagues. "This perception may build their confidence that they can be successful in the future."

About 80% of adults in both exercise groups stuck to their program over a year, the study found.

SOURCE: American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2002;23.

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