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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02991989

Does Exercise Snacking Improve Muscle Function in Older Adults?

Muscle size declines at around 0.5-1% per year after 50 years of age, with muscle strength declining up to twice as fast as muscle size. This may eventually lead to loss of independence if tasks of daily living become too strenuous to be performed safely. Exercise is recognized as a safe and effective means to counteract muscle loss during aging, however access to gym equipment may be logistically challenging or unpalatable to older adults. This research is designed to investigate the effect of 28 days of home-based leg exercise that doesn't require exercise equipment or supervision (exercise snacking), accompanied with a daily protein supplement in the form of commercially available yogurt, on the skeletal muscle health (i.e. function and size) of independent, community-dwelling older adults. To achieve this, two groups will be compared; one group will undertake exercise snacking and consume a 150 g yogurt with the breakfast meal for four weeks, with the second group only receiving the daily yogurt with no exercise snacking.

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Key information

Conditions

Muscle Function

Age range

65 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Bath

Bath, Avon, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom

About this study

The study will require potential participants to undergo an eligibility screening with a member of the research team, followed by a period of seven days of habitual activity monitoring and 3 days of diet recording. Eligible participants will be allocated into study groups by way of minimization based on sex, age, BMI, and number of sit-to-stands performed in a minute. Participants will undertake two familiarisation sessions with strength, power, neural drive, and balance tests at least seven days apart, the first following eligibility screening and the second familiarisation session at least five days before the first main trial.

Thereafter, both groups will undertake a main trial the day before commencing 28 days of daily 150 g yoghurt supplement with the breakfast meal, with the exercise snacking group (ES) also undertaking two bouts of exercise snacking a day. The main trial will include measures of leg muscle function and neural drive, standing and single leg balance, and movement co-ordination during tasks of everyday ambulation. Participants will wear a physical activity monitor and pedometer for the seven days and record diet for three days during the last week of the intervention. The day after the intervention period, a follow-up main trial will be conducted as per the first main trial, followed by an optional qualitative interview regarding participant's experience of the trial.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Not underweight or obese (body mass index ≥20 and ≤ 30 kg/m2)
  • Not regularly engaging in recreational sports or structured exercise (once a week or more).
  • Non-smoker (for >5 years)
  • Healthy (see exclusion criteria)

Exclusion criteria

  • Any chronic illness, cardiac, pulmonary, liver, or kidney abnormalities, uncontrolled hypertension, peripheral arterial disease, insulin- or non-insulin dependent diabetes or other metabolic disorders - all ascertained through preliminary screening.
  • Individuals with a history of bone, joint or neuromuscular problems or a current musculoskeletal injury ascertained through preliminary screening.
  • Individuals with any joint replacement surgical implants or other artifacts containing metal.
  • Individuals with a clinically diagnosed allergy or intolerance of dairy products.
  • Individuals with contraindications to exercise including chest pain, dizziness, or loss of consciousness, or who have been instructed by their doctor to only do physical activity recommended by them.
  • Individuals who score less than 8 on the Short Physical Performance Battery or score zero on any component of the test.

Treatment and study plan

Exercise Snacking

Behavioral

Each bout of exercise snacking consists of 5 exercise. Each exercise is performed for one minute, with aim of completing as many repetitions as possible of that exercise in that minute. One minute of rest is observed between each exercise of the exercise snack. The five exercises are; sit-to-stand from a chair, marching on the spot, seated knee extensions alternating legs, standing knee bends alternating legs, and standing calf raises. The sit-to-stand exercise is always performed first, with the number of repetitions achieved recorded, and subsequent exercises performed in any order without recording of repetitions.

Two exercise snacks are completed each day for 28 days; once in the morning and once in the evening, or at least separated by 2 hours.

Yogurt

Dietary Supplement

Participants are asked to consume 150 g of yogurt (Arla, Skyr- natural flavour) with their breakfast meal. Participants may substitute the yogurt for another part of their regular breakfast, or add the yogurt to their regular breakfast, with participants asked to record a log book of daily yogurt consumption and to complete a three day food diary during the last week of the 28 day intervention period.

Primary outcomes

  1. 60 second sit to stand test

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    The participant is asked to stand up from sitting in a chair whilst keeping their arms folded across their chest, then return to the seated position as many times as possible in a minute.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Lower limb muscle power

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    Measured during leg pressing

  2. Lower limb movement outcome variability

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    Measured during leg pressing

  3. Lower limb muscle cross-sectional area

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    Measured using peripheral quantitative computed tomography at 66% distal calf length and 25% and 50% distal thigh length

  4. Lower limb muscle cross-sectional tissue density

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    Measured using peripheral quantitative computed tomography at 66% distal calf length and 25% and 50% distal thigh length

  5. Body composition

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    Measured using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry

  6. Gastrocnemius and quadriceps muscle fibre pennation angle

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    Measured using ultrasonography at 66% distal length of calf length and 50% distal thigh length

  7. Gastrocnemius and quadriceps muscle fibre length

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    Measured using ultrasonography at 66% distal length of calf length and 50% distal thigh length

  8. Postural sway during standing balance with eyes open and closed

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    Measured using a force plate

  9. Single leg balance

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    Measured using the Y-balance test

  10. Six minute walk test

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    The participant will be asked to walk as many times between two cones places 15 meters apart as possible in six minutes.

  11. Movement co-ordination during walking and sit to stands

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    Measured by Qualisys motion capture and force plates

  12. Central drive of the plantar flexors

    Time frame: 28 days- change from pre- to post- intervention period

    Measured through the interpolated twitch technique

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Bath

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2016
Primary completion
2017
Study completion
2017
First posted
Dec 14, 2016
Registry last updated
May 23, 2018

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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